Calculating Diffusion Constant for Phosphatidylcholine in Water

AI Thread Summary
Phosphatidylcholine, a lipid found in egg yolk, forms micelles when mixed with water. The molecular weight is 97,000 g/mole, and the density is 1.018 g/cm3 at 25°C. The calculated radius of the particles is 3.35 nm, but this value is disputed as incorrect due to potential input errors. The diffusion coefficient for the particles in water, calculated using the Stokes-Einstein equation, is approximately 7.24E-11 m²/s. The discussion highlights the importance of accurate calculations in determining particle characteristics.
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Phosphatidylcholine is a lipid that can be found in egg yolk. When phosphatidylcholine is mixed with water it will form micelles – spherical particles.

Molecular weight (Mw) for the particles is 97*000 g/mole
Density for the particles is 1.018 g/cm3
The temperature is 25°C

a) What is the radius for the particles?


Assume that the particles are not hydrated.
The viscosity of water (eta) at the given temperature is 0,9 mPa·s (milliPascal second)
Boltzmann constant: 1,38 ´ 10-23 J/K
(Pa=kg/ms2 and J=kgm2/s2)

b) What is the diffusion coefficient (D) for the particles in water?


a) One particle has the mass m = (97 000 g/mol)/6.02E23 = 1.61E-19 g.

This gives V = 1.58E-25 m3, and since the volume of a sphere is given by (4/3)*pi*r^3, the radius for the particles is 3.35 nm.

b) Stokes-Einstein: D = \frac{k_B T}{6 \pi \eta R_s} = \frac{1.38E-23 \cdot 298}{6 \pi \cdot 0.9E-3 \cdot 3.35E-9} = 7.24E-11

What's wrong here?
 
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V = 1.58E-25 m3 is correct

3.35 nm is wrong... u key the values wrongly.
 
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