If a gold atom has a diameter of #2.70xx10^-10*m#, how many gold atoms are required to form a monolayer that spans a distance of #7.0xx10^-3*m#?

1 Answer
anor277
Feb 6, 2017

We divide the distance to be spanned, by the DIAMETER of the gold atom.

Explanation:

And thus, #"number of gold atoms"#

#=(7.0xx10^-3*m)/(2.70xx10^-10*m)=2.60xx10^7# #"gold atoms"#.

This problem is not so abstract, because it is a fact that gold is so malleable that it can hammered out into a sheet only a few atoms thick, and indeed it is by goldsmiths to make gold leaf.

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