Calculating the diameter of a polonium atom

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jenkz
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Atom Diameter
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
2 replies · 5K views
Jenkz
Messages
57
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


Polonium has a simple cubic structure at room temperature. Given that the mass density of solid [tex]^{209}_{84}[/tex]Po is 9.2gcm^-3 , calculate the diameter.

The Attempt at a Solution



Volume = mass/density = 209/ 9.2 = 22.7 cm^3

1 mole = 6.02 x10^23 mol^-1

22.7 / 6.02x10^23 = 3.77 x10^-23 cm

volume = 4/3 (pi) r^3

So diameter is 4.16x10^-10 m ?

Is this correct? I have no answers to refer to. Thank you.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
It looks absolutely correct to me.
Other than the third step where you (accidentally?) put "cm" instead of "cm^3"
But the answer I think is right.

Also, angstroms would be a more convenient unit, as it is 10^(-10)m.
so the answer could be:
4.16 angstroms
 
How would you stack balls so that they fill the whole space?