Chapter 1 - Measurement

Problem 9
Question
The distance between neighboring atoms, or molecules, in a solid substance can
be estimated by calculating twice the radius of a sphere with volume equal to the
volume per atom of the material. Calculate the distance between neighboring
atoms in (a) iron and (b) sodium. The densities of iron and sodium are 7870
kg/m3 and 1013 kg/m3 , respectively; the mass of an iron atom is 9.27 × 10−26
kg, and the mass of a sodium atom is 3.82 × 10−26 kg.

Answer
We are told that the distance x between molecules can be found to be twice
the radius r of of a sphere with the average volume per atom V of the material.
Thus,
4 4  x 3
V = πr3 = π .
3 3 2
Finding the volume in terms of density d and mass m, V = m/d, and solving
the above equation for x, we find that:
 1/3  1/3
3V 3m
x=2 =2 .
4π 4πd

Plugging in our given d and m, we conclude:

xFe = 1.31 × 10−10 and xNa = 4.16 × 10−10