Prior to advances in x-ray scattering technology, creativity and mathematics were the tools used to estimate the size of atoms. As it turns out, the accuracy of such estimates was best when information about solids was used in calculations. Since solids and liquids can only be compressed to a negligible extent, we are at libertyContinue reading “SOLIDS: The Size of Atoms”
Tag Archives: Avogadro's Number
SOLIDS: Determining the Mass of a Golden Sphere
Q: Gold has an atomic mass of 197 amu. If a golden sphere has a diameter of 0.10 m, how many atoms does it contain? A: In order to determine what volume ( V ) is occupied by the sphere, we must obtain a value for the sphere’s radius ( r ). Fortunately, the radiusContinue reading “SOLIDS: Determining the Mass of a Golden Sphere”
SOLIDS: The mole and Avogadro’s Number
Imagine a world where dollars can be seen with the naked eye, but pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters are invisible. In this world, you are assigned the task of giving a presentation where, somehow or another, dollars replace pennies as the smallest unit of currency. The relationships between the aforementioned currencies will take on theContinue reading “SOLIDS: The mole and Avogadro’s Number”
CHEMISTRY: A Review of Molarity ( M ), Balanced Chemical Reactions, Limiting Reagents, and Quantitative Analysis
Balanced chemical reactions ( RXN ) represent reactions in which perfect ratios of reactants and products react. Let’s consider a photosynthetic RXN where glucose reacts with molecular oxygen to form carbon dioxide, water, and energy: C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy In the subatomic world, a single molecule of glucose reacts withContinue reading “CHEMISTRY: A Review of Molarity ( M ), Balanced Chemical Reactions, Limiting Reagents, and Quantitative Analysis”
GAS LAWS: Boltzmann’s Constant
In previous circumstances, a known quantity of an ideal gas in moles ( n ) was shown to influence a volume of space in accordance with the Ideal Gas Law ( PV = nRT ). It is useful, however, to be able to determine the number of molecules ( N ) of a gas thatContinue reading “GAS LAWS: Boltzmann’s Constant”
CHEMISTRY: What Quantity Does a Mole Describe?
CHEMISTRY 101: WHAT IS A ” MOLE “? HOW DOES THE QUANTITY DESCRIBED AS BEING A ” MOLAR ” QUANTITY CONNECT THE INVISIBLE SUBATOMIC WORLD TO THE VISIBLE WORLD? A balanced chemical equation is representative of a chemical reaction ( RXN ). For example, water is known to be made of two hydrogen ions +Continue reading “CHEMISTRY: What Quantity Does a Mole Describe?”
RENAISSANCE PHYSICS 