Question
how small are air molecules?
Answers
drwls
The size of a molecule is determined by the interatomic separation of the two nitrogen or oxygen atoms, and the size of the electron "cloud" around each nucleus. A molecule is not a rigid body with a well-defined outer surface. Think of the surrounding electron cloud as "mushy".
An approximate size for an N2 molecule, averaging the long and short dimensions, is 3.7*10^-8 cm or a 15 billionths of an inch. Oxygen molecules are about the same size.
An approximate size for an N2 molecule, averaging the long and short dimensions, is 3.7*10^-8 cm or a 15 billionths of an inch. Oxygen molecules are about the same size.