Randy Holmes-Farley
Reef Chemist
View BadgesStaff member
Super Moderator
Excellence Award
Expert Contributor
Article Contributor
R2R Research
My Tank Thread
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2014
- Messages
- 67,858
- Reaction score
- 64,273
Reef Chemistry Question of the Day [HASHTAG]#135[/HASHTAG]
So from the last question of the day we saw that a typical oxygen molecule in the air travels at about 1,000 miles an hour.
But from real life experience we know that gasses do not diffuse that fast in normal air. For example, open a can of paint or burn something on a stove and it takes a considerable time for someone across the room or in another room to smell it.
Why?
The answer is because while they are moving at a screaming fast pace, they bump into each other a lot, sending them off at angles to their initial direction.
How far do you think an oxygen molecule in normal air at room temperature travels before bumping into another molecule?
Let's think of the answer in terms of the molecular diameter of oxygen, so how many lengths of its own size can it travel before hitting something?
A. 18 diameters
B. 180 diameters
C. 1,800 diameters
D. 1,800,000 diameters
E. 1,800,000,000 diameters
As with last time, this isn't something you should know, but is fun to speculate about, and will help understand gas exchange.
Good luck!
.
So from the last question of the day we saw that a typical oxygen molecule in the air travels at about 1,000 miles an hour.
But from real life experience we know that gasses do not diffuse that fast in normal air. For example, open a can of paint or burn something on a stove and it takes a considerable time for someone across the room or in another room to smell it.
Why?
The answer is because while they are moving at a screaming fast pace, they bump into each other a lot, sending them off at angles to their initial direction.
How far do you think an oxygen molecule in normal air at room temperature travels before bumping into another molecule?
Let's think of the answer in terms of the molecular diameter of oxygen, so how many lengths of its own size can it travel before hitting something?
A. 18 diameters
B. 180 diameters
C. 1,800 diameters
D. 1,800,000 diameters
E. 1,800,000,000 diameters
As with last time, this isn't something you should know, but is fun to speculate about, and will help understand gas exchange.
Good luck!
.