- #1
am4th
- 3
- 1
So there's a website here:
https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/cells/scale/
That shows the scale of various entities (coffee bean, viruses, a carbon atom, a water molecule etc). It says that the carbon atom is larger than the water molecule. This is based on the 'van der waal radius'; however, it doesn't say how the water molecule's size (radius?) is measured.
From my understanding of what I've just read, the 'van der waal radius' is the distance between two atoms (carbon in this case) when they are at their most stable (so the potential energy between them is at its lowest?). Is that correct?
They are quoting a size of 275pm for the water molecule. Does anyone know how this value is reached?
https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/cells/scale/
That shows the scale of various entities (coffee bean, viruses, a carbon atom, a water molecule etc). It says that the carbon atom is larger than the water molecule. This is based on the 'van der waal radius'; however, it doesn't say how the water molecule's size (radius?) is measured.
From my understanding of what I've just read, the 'van der waal radius' is the distance between two atoms (carbon in this case) when they are at their most stable (so the potential energy between them is at its lowest?). Is that correct?
They are quoting a size of 275pm for the water molecule. Does anyone know how this value is reached?