When are atoms and molecules unpredictable in chemistry?

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In summary, the conversation discusses the predictability of chemical/molecular bonding and the behavior of atoms and molecules in a system. While the equilibrium state of a system can be predicted in principle, the data and information required to do so is often not available in practice. Therefore, the behavior of individual atoms and molecules cannot be predicted, as demonstrated by the example of predicting the location of an atom in a container.
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Silvershadow
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I'm playing with a theory I have at the moment and wondered if anyone could help with giving me some good examples of chemical/molecular bonding in which the partners' an atom will acquire are unpredictable.
For example if I had 1g of Hydrogen atoms, 8g of oxygen atoms and 3g of carbon would the end result be predictable. If not when are such examples 'unpredictable'?

Silvershadow
 
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  • #2
"Predictable?" In principle, yes; in practice, for the C-H-O system (or other system), the data/information required for predicting equilibrium composition, free energies of formation for ALL possible products, is not available. Same thing for any other chemical system --- there is one equilibrium state for any specified overall/total composition and T,P,ρ.
 
  • #3
I don't get it. This equilibrium state, is it always predictable that free molecules and atoms will act a certain way?

Silvershadow
 
  • #4
Originally posted by Silvershadow
I don't get it. This equilibrium state, is it always predictable that free molecules and atoms will act a certain way?

Silvershadow

It's called "chemistry." If you mean, "Can the behavior of a specific, labelled atom be predicted?" the answer is no. The example would be predicting the location of an atom or molecule in a container --- see "the drunkard's walk."
 

1. What makes atoms unpredictable?

The unpredictability of atoms is due to their quantum nature, meaning that their behavior cannot be precisely predicted. This is due to the uncertainty principle, which states that it is impossible to know both the position and momentum of an atom at the same time.

2. When do atoms become unpredictable?

Atoms behave in a predictable manner at macroscopic scales, but at the quantum level, their behavior becomes unpredictable. This is because at this scale, the laws of classical physics no longer apply.

3. Can we ever fully predict the behavior of atoms?

No, it is impossible to fully predict the behavior of atoms due to their quantum nature. However, scientists have developed mathematical models and theories that can accurately predict the behavior of atoms with a high degree of probability.

4. How does unpredictability of atoms impact scientific research?

The unpredictability of atoms is a fundamental concept in quantum mechanics, and it has led to many groundbreaking discoveries in science. It has also allowed for the development of technologies such as transistors and lasers.

5. Is there any way to control the unpredictability of atoms?

While we cannot control the unpredictability of atoms, we can manipulate their behavior through techniques such as quantum entanglement and superposition. However, these techniques are still in the early stages of research and have not been fully harnessed.

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