The radius of an atom of copper (Cu) is about 140 pm. (a) Express this distance in angstroms 1A 2.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the conversion relationship: 1 angstrom (\(\text{Å}\)) is equal to 100 picometers (\(\text{pm}\)).
2. Identify the given value: The radius of a copper atom is 140 pm.
3. Set up the conversion: To convert picometers to angstroms, divide the number of picometers by 100.
4. Perform the division: Divide 140 pm by 100 to convert to angstroms.
5. Express the result: The radius of the copper atom in angstroms is the result of the division.

Key Concepts

Unit Conversion

Unit conversion is the process of converting a quantity expressed in one unit to another unit. In this case, we need to convert picometers (pm) to angstroms (Å). Knowing that 1 Å is equal to 100 pm allows us to perform this conversion by dividing the number of picometers by 100.

Atomic Radius

The atomic radius is a measure of the size of an atom, typically defined as the distance from the nucleus to the outer boundary of the surrounding cloud of electrons. For copper, the atomic radius is approximately 140 pm, which provides insight into its size relative to other elements and its behavior in chemical bonding.

Picometer and Angstrom

Picometer (pm) and angstrom (Å) are both units of length used to measure atomic and molecular dimensions. A picometer is one trillionth of a meter (10^-12 m), while an angstrom is one ten-billionth of a meter (10^-10 m). Understanding these units is essential for accurately expressing and comparing atomic sizes.