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In what unit is atomic radius measured? Express this unit in scientific notation.

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Final answer:

Atomic radius is typically measured in picometers (pm), which equal 10^-12 meters in scientific notation, or angstroms (Å), where 1 Å is equal to 10^-10 meters.

Step-by-step explanation:

The unit in which atomic radius is measured is the picometer (pm), which is equal to 10–12 meters in scientific notation. This small measurement unit is used because atoms are exceedingly tiny, with even the largest atomic radii being only a few hundred picometers. For example, the atomic radius of hydrogen is approximately 37 p.m. Sometimes, atomic radii are also expressed in angstroms (Å), where 1 Å is equivalent to 10–10 meters or 100 pm. In scientific notation, angstrom can be written as 1 x 10-10 m. Thus, both picometers and angstroms are essential units used to measure the dimensions of atoms or the distances between them.



An example of how to express atomic radius in scientific notation would be, for the hydrogen atomic radius of 37 pm, writing it as 3.7 x 10-11 meters.

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