If i theoretically took a penny, and using all the atoms from it, made a string...

[Marcos]

The string is 1-atom thick. So its an atom chain.

Would that string be long enough to reach the moon?

[Andy3536]

No, they're really small

[finlay666]

I would say it might

distance is 363,300km

so with 5.128648* 10^22 approx according to
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...AAvIw8n&show=7
(being approximate here so bear with me)

size of a copper molecule, well a chlorine one is 1×10−9 m so 0.000000001m so lets use that

so 0.000000001 * 5.128648* 10^22 gives 5.128648 * 10^ 13m (I think)

so 51286480000000m
knock 3 0's off as it is going m-km
so 51286480000km
and it needs to go 363300km

So I would say, on comparison to a nickel, comfortably

51286480000km
152097701km is the distance to the sun!!! So it can go there and back about 400 times, depending on molecule size

edit: a nickel is 4.5g and a uk penny is 3.7 so 42168883555 km (very approximate though)

[TeePee]

For an entire mole of copper, maybe, but remember a penny is a small fraction of a mole, and copper has a ver ydiufferent molecular weight to nickel. Nickel is much lighter. I'd have to look it up for the exact mathematics, but I think based on your rough calculation, we can safely assume it would get there.

Of course, the problem is the string would not be strong enough to support itself against the gravity of wither the earth or the moon, so we'd have to surround it with Carbon nanotubes for strength. And then we'd have an interesting problem with electrical charge...

[finlay666]

Yeah I'm no chemist so the whole idea of moles etc I just based it on molecules....

I was only working VERY roughly too

[Whiternoise]

Ok..

So, if we assume it's all copper - for arguments' sake.

We've got 3.5g, or 3.5/63.5 moles (0.05 moles).

Using good old avogadro's constant, we see that it's almost exactly 3x10^22 atoms of copper.

The diameter of a copper atom is 2.42x10^-10m.

Thus, we can make a piece of string that's (2.42E-10 X 3E22)m long. That's 7.26 x 10^12m (7260000000000m).

The distance to the moon isn't that far, in comparison.. 405,696,000m at it's apogee (farthest point). The sun is 1.496E11m, so you can get to the sun a few times too!

The nearest star to us is Proxima Centauri, at a distance of 4E16, so unfortunately you wouldn't be able to get there, but still, it's a very very long piece of string.

[finlay666]

I wasnt too far off

No idea about the diameter of a copper atom or anything though

[iranu]

It is a very good demonstration to show how Avocado's number is a very large and sweet number indeed.

[JK Ferret]

You know, I keep getting the impression that hexus members all seem to be a bunch of geeks... no idea why though.

I can't remember what the difference between moles and molecules is (although not done much chem for 2 years, physics for 1)

[pauldarkside]

Copper string to the moon? You don't work for BT do you? 2 miles from the exchange and the broadband speed's pretty dire, I'd hate to think what it'd be like up there

[Nick]

Originally Posted by JK Ferret

I can't remember what the difference between moles and molecules is (although not done much chem for 2 years, physics for 1)

Moles are the ISU (International Scientific Unit) for the number of the little bleeders it takes to ruin a recently turfed lawn in 1 week.

So the correct measurement is M/w(7) where the number denotes the days in the week. This is important as in the Square Mile they obviously use just the working week, so the notation is expressed as M/w(5-((bh/5)x3)*Cx(DxNxF).

The '*C' comes from the charge made by consultants to arrive at the previous count, whereby they just increase the fee C by a factor of M(5)... but further, though the equation allows for Bank Holidays '-bh', a consultancy will add a triple time charge for working on the bank holiday even though they'll actually all be off in their BMWs pratting around on a golf course or playing with US shares.

Which introduces the variables expressed after C, directly linked to how well said consultant's shares performed over the weekend.

So in answer to your question... erm... bugger, sorry, what was the question?

Oh and that'll be £25 quid please.

[TAKTAK]

Originally Posted by Nick

Moles are the ISU (International Scientific Unit) for the number of the little bleeders it takes to ruin a recently turfed lawn in 1 week.

So the correct measurement is M/w(7) where the number denotes the days in the week. This is important as in the Square Mile they obviously use just the working week, so the notation is expressed as M/w(5-((bh/5)x3)*Cx(DxNxF).

The '*C' comes from the charge made by consultants to arrive at the previous count, whereby they just increase the fee C by a factor of M(5)... but further, though the equation allows for Bank Holidays '-bh', a consultancy will add a triple time charge for working on the bank holiday even though they'll actually all be off in their BMWs pratting around on a golf course or playing with US shares.

Which introduces the variables expressed after C, directly linked to how well said consultant's shares performed over the weekend.

So in answer to your question... erm... bugger, sorry, what was the question?

Oh and that'll be £25 quid please.

someones had his frosties this morning....

[Marcos]

Originally Posted by JK Ferret

You know, I keep getting the impression that hexus members all seem to be a bunch of geeks... no idea why though.