The period at the end of this sentence has an area of approximately 0.2 mm².One carbon atom, having a diameter of about 160 pm, covers an area of about 0.02 nm².How many carbon atoms would be required to produce a one-atom-deep layer that covers 0.2 mm²?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

First, convert the area of the period and the carbon atom into the same units for comparison. The area of the period is 0.2 mm^2, which is 0.2 x 10^6 nm^2 (since 1 mm^2 = 10^6 nm^2). The area of one carbon atom is about 0.02 nm^2. To find out how many carbon atoms are needed to cover 0.2 mm^2, divide the total area by the area of one atom: (0.2 x 10^6 nm^2) / 0.02 nm^2 = 10^7 carbon atoms.

The Period at the End of This Sentence Has an Area