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Chapter 20: Q. 1 (page 566)

Solids and liquids resist being compressed. They are not totally incompressible, but it takes large forces to compress them even slightly. If it is true that matter consists of atoms, what can you infer about the microscopic nature of solids and liquids from their incompressibility?

Short Answer

Expert verified

Atoms in Solids and Liquids are present close to each other and thus they need huge amount of force to be compressed.

Step by step solution

01

Given Information 

Solids and Liquids are almost incompressible compared to other materials. This is mainly because of the compact form of the atoms in Solids and Liquids.

02

Inference about the microscopic nature of solids and liquids from their incompressibility 

It can be inferred that, the atoms in the solids and liquids are already in a compressed state and thus on provided an amount of pressure further compression takes place least. As a result, requirement of large amount of force to compress liquids and solids is needed proving that atoms in such states are near to each other.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

The 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded for the discovery of graphene, a two-dimensional form of carbon in which the atoms form a two-dimensional crystal-lattice sheet only one atom thick. Predict the molar specific heat of graphene. Give your answer as a multiple ofR .

The number density of an ideal gas at STP is called the Loschmidt number. Calculate the Loschmidt number.

A cylinder contains gas at a pressure of 2.0atmand a number density of4.2×1025m-3. The rms speed of the atoms is 660m/s. Identify the gas.

Equation 20.3is the mean free path of a particle through a gas of identical particles of equal radius. An electron can be thought of as a point particle with zero radius.

a. Find an expression for the mean free path of an electron through a gas.

b. Electrons travel 3kmthrough the Stanford Linear Accelerator. In order for scattering losses to be negligible, the pressure inside the accelerator tube must be reduced to the point where the mean free path is at least 50km. What is the maximum possible pressure inside the accelerator tube, assuming T=20°C?Give your answer in both Paand atm.

9. Suppose you place an ice cube in a beaker of room-temperature water, then seal them in a rigid, well-insulated container. No energy can enter or leave the container.

a. If you open the container an hour later, will you find a beaker of water slightly cooler than room temperature, or a large ice cube and some 100°Csteam?

b. Finding a large ice cube and some 100°Csteam would not violate the first law of thermodynamics. W=0Jand Q=0Jbecause the container is sealed, and ΔEth=0Jbecause the increase in thermal energy of the water molecules that became steam is offset by the decrease in thermal energy of the water molecules that turned to ice. Energy would be conserved, yet we never see an outcome like this. Why not?
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