Question

If you wanted to make an accurate scale model of the hydro-

gen atom and decided that the nucleus would have a diameter
of 1 mm, what would be the diameter of the entire model?

Answer 1

To calculate the diameter of the entire model, we need to consider the scale at which we are constructing it.
The diameter of the hydrogen nucleus is approximately 1.75 femtometers (fm) or 1.75 × 10^(-15) meters.
Let’s assume a scale of 1 mm per 1 fm for simplicity.
Therefore, the diameter of the entire model can be calculated using the scale factor:
1 mm / 1.75 × 10^(-15) meters =
(1 mm / 1.75 × 10^(-15) meters) × (10^9 nm / 1 mm) =
5.71 × 10^8 nanometers (nm).
Thus, the diameter of the entire model would be approximately 5.71 × 10^8 nm.