# Homework Help: Find the area of the resulting slick homework

1. Jan 21, 2005

### dg_5021

Suppose 1.0 cubic meter of oil is spilled into the ocean. Find the area of the resulting slick, assuming that it is one molecule thick, and that each molecule occupies a cube 0.50mm on a side.

2. Jan 21, 2005

### dextercioby

Are u sure it's not 0.5 nm??

HINT:Volume=Area*height,assuming cubes making up a rectangular paralelipiped.

Daniel.

3. Jan 21, 2005

### Q_Goest

They threw the term "molecule" in to confuse you a bit. All they are asking is how large an area is this oil going to cover given it is covered by little blocks that are 0.50 mm on a side? You have to assume the depth of this oil is only 1 block deep, or 0.50 mm deep.

You can also assume the 1 cubic meter of oil has the same volume regardless of what shape it's in. So the volume of the oil slick after it is spread out is equal to the volume of 1 cubic meter.

Does that help?

4. Jan 21, 2005

### dextercioby

They might have meant "macromolecule layer".Oil is made up of various types of organic compounds including many-atom hydrocarbons,the trick is that they are amorphic,a very viscous fluid...a very soft solid...
So even "layer" is fuzzy.

Anyway,the wording is misleading and profoundly incorrect.

Daniel.

5. Jan 23, 2005

### dg_5021

Suppose 1.0 cubic meter of oil is spilled into the ocean. Find the area of the resulting slick, assuming that it is one molecule thick, and that each molecule occupies a cube 0.50 micrometer on a side.

I do not get this problem at all how do u start please help? sorry i meant micro

6. Jan 23, 2005

### HallsofIvy

The Area of a circle of radius r is $\pir^2$. The volume of a disk of radius r and "height" h is $\pi r^2h$. The oil slick is a disk of height 0.50 micrometer and volume 1.0 cubic meter so what is the radius?
(First convert 0.50 micrometers to meters. Then plug the numbers into the equation and solve for r.)

7. Jan 23, 2005

### dextercioby

Hold it,Halls,they said the molecules are cubes,not rectangular cylinders...

Daniel.

8. Jan 23, 2005

### dg_5021

r= ((3.1416)(5E5)) = 1.5708E6 m^2

Like this?
Because in the back of the book the answer is 2.0E6 m^2

9. Jan 23, 2005

### dg_5021

10. Jan 23, 2005

### dg_5021

11. Jan 23, 2005

### Q_Goest

Volume = Area x Depth
so Area = Volume/Depth

Depth is 0.5 mm

Volume is 1 m^3 (or 1000mm*1000mm*1000mm) = 1.0 E9 cubic mm (1.0 E9 mm^3).

So Area = 1.0 E9 mm^3 / 0.5 mm = 2.0 E9 mm^3

Book is incorrect.