Some scientists think there are living things smaller than bacteria (New York Times, January 18, 2000, p. D1). Called “nanobes,” they are roughly cylindrical and range from 20 to 150 nm long and about 10 nm in diameter. One approach to determining whether nanobes are living is to estimate how many atoms and molecules could make up a nanobe. If the number is too small, then there would not be enough DNA, protein, and other biological molecules to carry out life processes. To test this method, estimate an upper limit for the number of atoms that could be in a nanobe. (Use a small atom, such as hydrogen.) Also estimate how many protein molecules could fit inside a nanobe. Do your estimates rule out the possibility that a nanobe could be living? Explain why or why not.
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Chapter 1 Solutions
Chemistry: The Molecular Science
- Which of these statements are qualitative? Which are quantitative? Explain your choice in each case. (a) Sodium is a silvery-white metal. (b) Aluminum melts at 660 C. (c) Carbon makes up about 23% of the human body by mass. (d) Pure carbon occurs in different forms: graphite, diamond, and fullerenes.arrow_forward2.97 LDPE has a density in the range of 0.915—0.935 g/cm3, and HDPF has a density in the range of 0.940—0.965 g/cm3. You receive a small disk, 2.0 cm high with a 6.0-cm diameter, from a manufacturer of polyethylene, but its label is missing. You measure the mass of the disk and find that it is 53.8 g. Is the material HDPE or LDPE?arrow_forwardOn October 21, 1982, the Bureau of the Mint changed the composition of pennies (see Exercise 120). Instead of an alloy of 95% Cu and 5% Zn by mass, a core of 99.2% Zn and 0.8% Cu with a thin shell of copper was adopted. The overall composition of the new penny was 97.6% Zn and 2.4% Cu by mass. Does this account for the difference in mass among die pennies in Exercise 120? Assume the volume of the individual metals that make up each penny can be added together to give the overall volume of the penny, and assume each penny is the same size. (Density of Cu = 8.96 g/cm3; density of Zn = 7.14 g/cm3).arrow_forward
- 3.83 For the reaction of nitrogen, N2, and hydrogen, H2, to form ammonia, NH3, a student is attempting to draw a particulate diagram, as shown below. Did the student draw a correct representation of the reaction? If not, what was the error the student made?arrow_forwardThe German chemist Fritz Haber proposed paying off the reparations imposed against Germany after World War I by extracting gold from seawater. Given the following data, what was the dollar amount of the gold that could have been extracted from 3.0 m3 of seawater? The price of gold at the time was $0.68 per gram of gold. Gold occurs in seawater to the extent of 5.15 x 1011 atoms per gram of seawater. The density of seawater is 1.03 g/cm3.arrow_forwardEarth’s surface area is 5.1 x 108 km2, its crust has an average thickness of 35 km and an average density of 2.8 g/cm3. The two rarest (non-radioactive) elements in the crust are ruthenium and rhodium, each with an abundance of 1.0 x 10-4g/metric ton crust. What is the total mass of these two elements in the earth’s crust? (1g = 1 x 10-6 metric ton)arrow_forward
- What is the mass of 0.207 moles of C3H9O4? Note: Express your answer in proper significant figures. Write only the numerical answer. Do not include the unit. If your answer is in exponential form, example: 2.05 x 1024, use the following format: 2.05e24arrow_forwardCarbon dioxide (CO2) is the gas that is mainly responsible for global warming (the greenhouse effect). The burning of fossil fuels is a major cause of the increased concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is also the end product of metabolism. Using glucose as an example of food, calculate the annual human production of CO2 in grams, assuming that each person consumes 5.0 × 10^2 grams of glucose per day. The world's population is 7.2 billion, and there are 365 days in a year.arrow_forwardGiven that 6.02 x 1023 ethanol molecules have a mass of 46.04 g, calculate the number of ethanol molecules in a film of ethanol that is 3.08 mm by 10.0 cm by 0.0015 mm. Assume the density of ethanol is 0.790 g/mL.arrow_forward
- Use the molar mass of Ca3(PO3)2 to calculate the moles of oxygen in 6.66 x 106 g of CP. Give your actual number. Use scientific notation with E representing the exponent and no spaces. For example, 1 mol = 6.022 x 1023 would be 6.022E23. (6.66 x 106 g CP)(––––––––––) = ____________ mol CP (––––––––––) = __________ mol Oarrow_forwardCalculate the surface area in nm^2 of water contained in a watch glass with a diameter of 9.0cm. The area of a circle is calculated as A=r^2(pi) If a molecule of stearic acid covers an area of 0.21 nm^2, how many stearic acid molecules will it take to cover the surface of the watch glass in question 3.arrow_forwardCrime scene investigators keep a wide variety of compounds on hand to help with identifying unknown substances they find in the course of their duties. One such investigator, while reorganizing their shelves, has mixed up several small vials and is unsure about the identity of a certain powder. Elemental analysis of the compound reveals that it is 67.31 % carbon, 6.978% hydrogen, 4.617% nitrogen, and 21.10% oxygen by mass. Which of the compounds could the powder be? C17H19NO3C17H19NO3 = morphine, analgesic C17H21NO4C17H21NO4 = cocaine, illicit drug C7H5N3O6C7H5N3O6 = 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), commonly used explosive C10H15NC10H15N = methamphetamine, stimulant C4H5N2OC4H5N2O = caffeine, stimulant C11H15NO2C11H15NO2 = 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), illicit drug C21H23NO5C21H23NO5 = heroin, illicit drug C3H6NO3C3H6NO3 = hexamethylene triperoxide diamine (HMTD), commonly used explosivearrow_forward
- Chemistry: The Molecular ScienceChemistryISBN:9781285199047Author:John W. Moore, Conrad L. StanitskiPublisher:Cengage LearningChemistryChemistryISBN:9781305957404Author:Steven S. Zumdahl, Susan A. Zumdahl, Donald J. DeCostePublisher:Cengage Learning
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