You can obtain a rough estimate of the size of a molecule with the following sim

Question

You can obtain a rough estimate of the size of a molecule with the following simple experiment: Let a droplet of oil spread out on a fairly large but smooth water surface. The resulting ”oil slick” that forms on the surface of the water will be approximately one molecule thick. Given an oil droplet with a mass of 8.85 × 10^7 kg and a density of 923 kg/m3 that spreads out to form a circle with a radius of 43.2 cm on the water surface, what is the approximate diameter of an oil molecule? Answer in units of m.

Explanation / Answer

   The oil layer must resemble the shape of acylinder, the height being equal to diameter of singlemolecule.    Volume ofcylinder   =   volume of oildrop    * r2 * d   =   m /    r   =   radiusof layer of oil   =   43.2cm   =   0.432 m    d   =   diameter ofsinglemolecule,   m   =   massof oil drop   =   8.85 * 10-7kg,      =   densityof oil   =   923 kg/m3    3.14 * 0.4322 *d   =   8.85 * 10-7 /923    diameter of oilmolecule      d   =   8.438* 10-10 / 4.999 *10-1   =   1.636 *10-9   m    3.14 * 0.4322 *d   =   8.85 * 10-7 /923    diameter of oilmolecule      d   =   8.438* 10-10 / 4.999 *10-1   =   1.636 *10-9   m

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