Textbook Question
Give the chemical symbol or name for the following elements, as appropriate: (c) cobalt
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Ch.1 - Introduction: Matter, Energy, and Measurement
Chapter 1, Problem 18
Zirconia, an oxide of zirconium, is often used as an affordable diamond substitute. Just like diamond, it is a colorless crystal which sparkles under sunlight. Which of the following physical properties do you think would help in differentiating between diamond and Zirconia—melting point, density, or physical state?
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Melting Point
The melting point is the temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid. It is a critical physical property that can help distinguish between substances, as different materials have unique melting points. For example, diamond has a very high melting point (around 3550°C), while zirconia melts at a lower temperature (around 2700°C), making this property useful for differentiation.
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04:29
Boiling Point and Melting Point
Density
Density is defined as mass per unit volume and is a key physical property that can be used to identify and differentiate materials. Diamonds have a density of about 3.5 g/cm³, whereas zirconia has a higher density of approximately 6 g/cm³. This significant difference in density can be a reliable indicator when comparing the two substances.
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01:56Density Concepts
Physical State
The physical state of a substance refers to its form at a given temperature and pressure, typically categorized as solid, liquid, or gas. Both diamond and zirconia are solids at room temperature, which makes this property less useful for differentiation. However, understanding the physical state can provide context for their behavior under different conditions, such as temperature changes.
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02:54Physical Properties
Related Practice
Textbook Question
Give the chemical symbol or name for each of the following elements, as appropriate: (a) rhenium
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Textbook Question
A solid white substance A is heated strongly in the absence of
air. It decomposes to form a new white substance B and a gas C.
The gas has exactly the same properties as the product obtained
when carbon is burned in an excess of oxygen. Based
on these observations, can we determine whether solids A
and B and gas C are elements or compounds?
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Textbook Question
In the process of attempting to characterize a substance, a chemist makes the following observations: The substance is a silvery white, lustrous metal. It melts at 649 °C and boils at 1105 °C. Its density at 20 °C is 1.738 g/cm3. The substance burns in air, producing an intense white light. It reacts with chlorine to give a brittle white solid. The substance can be pounded into thin sheets or drawn into wires. It is a good conductor of electricity. Which of these characteristics are physical properties, and which are chemical properties?
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Textbook Question
The radius of an atom of tungsten (W) is about 2.10 A . (b) How many tungsten atoms would have to be lined up to create a wire of 2.0 mm?
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Textbook Question
(a) Read the following description of the element zinc and indicate which are physical properties and which are chemical properties. Zinc melts at 420 °C. When zinc granules are added to dilute sulfuric acid, hydrogen is given off and the metal dissolves. Zinc has a hardness on the Mohs scale of 2.5 and a density of 7.13 g/cm3 at 25 °C. It reacts slowly with oxygen gas at elevated temperatures to form zinc oxide, ZnO.
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