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Ch.2 - Atoms, Molecules, and Ions
Chapter 2, Problem 89b

A cube of gold that is 1.00 cm on a side has a mass of 19.3 g. A single gold atom has a mass of 197.0 u. (b) From the information given, estimate the diameter in Å of a single gold atom.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Density

Density is defined as mass per unit volume and is a crucial property of materials. In this case, the density of gold can be calculated using the mass of the cube and its volume. Understanding density allows us to relate the macroscopic properties of a substance to its atomic structure, which is essential for estimating atomic dimensions.
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Avogadro's Number

Avogadro's number, approximately 6.022 x 10²³, is the number of atoms or molecules in one mole of a substance. This concept is vital for converting between the macroscopic scale (grams) and the atomic scale (individual atoms). By using Avogadro's number, we can determine how many gold atoms are present in the given mass, which aids in estimating the size of a single atom.
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Atomic Radius

The atomic radius is a measure of the size of an atom, typically defined as the distance from the nucleus to the outermost electron shell. In this context, estimating the diameter of a gold atom involves understanding its atomic radius and how it relates to the number of atoms in a given volume. This concept is fundamental for translating the mass and volume of gold into the dimensions of individual atoms.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

The natural abundance of 3He is 0.000137%. (b) Based on the sum of the masses of their subatomic particles, which is expected to be more massive, an atom of 3He or an atom of 3H (which is also called tritium)?

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Textbook Question

The natural abundance of 3He is 0.000137%. (c) Based on your answer to part (b), what would need to be the precision of a mass spectrometer that is able to differentiate between peaks that are due to 3He+ and 3H+?

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Textbook Question

A cube of gold that is 1.00 cm on a side has a mass of 19.3 g. A single gold atom has a mass of 197.0 u. (a) How many gold atoms are in the cube?

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Textbook Question

The diameter of a rubidium atom is 495 pm We will consider two different ways of placing the atoms on a surface. In arrangement A, all the atoms are lined up with one another to form a square grid. Arrangement B is called a close-packed arrangement because the atoms sit in the 'depressions' formed by the previous row of atoms: (a) Using arrangement A, how many Rb atoms could be placed on a square surface that is 1.0 cm on a side?

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Textbook Question

(b) How many molecules of C13H18O2 are in this tablet?

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Textbook Question
Very small semiconductor crystals, composed of approximately 1000 to 10,000 atoms, are called quantum dots. Quantum dots made of the semiconductor CdSe are now being used in electronic reader and tablet displays because they emit light efficiently and in multiple colors, depending on dot size. The density of CdSe is 5.82 g/cm3. (b) CdSe quantum dots that are 2.5 nm in diameter emit blue light upon stimulation. Assuming that the dot is a perfect sphere and that the empty space in the dot can be neglected, calculate how many Cd atoms are in one quantum dot of this size.
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