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the uncertainty principal means any measurement made on a system will, in fact, change the system itself and introduce a fundamental uncertainty into measurements of all other properties of that system. the product of the uncertainty in the position and momentum is greater than, or at best equal to , h/4pi. this uncertainty is, in fact, about 100 times the diameter of a hydrogen atom, so this principal will not even allow us to determine if the electron is within the atom!

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15y ago
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12y ago

The radius of an atom cannot be determined precisely due to the following reasons:- 1.There is no sharp boundary of an atom. The probability of finding an electron never becomes exactly zero even at large distances from the nucleus. 2.The electronic probability configuration is affected by neighbouring atoms. For this reason, the size of an atom may change from one compound to another.

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12y ago

Because you cannot determine the location of the electrons that surround the nucleus.

Chawad says: Simply because it is way too small!

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14y ago

Because it is so small.

As we invent more powerful microscopes, we discover smaller and smaller things, like Hadrons and such...

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7y ago

Because we don't know what it is (yet). And it obviously is not "matter" (as we know it).

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4y ago

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Q: Why can the radius of an atom cannot be measured directly?
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Related questions

Can the radius of an atom can be measured directly?

No, the radius of an atom cannot be measured directly because atoms are incredibly small and their size is on the scale of angstroms (10^-10 meters), which is smaller than the wavelength of visible light. Instead, the radius of an atom is estimated using techniques like X-ray crystallography or scanning tunneling microscopy.


Is carbon a small or big atom?

The empirically measured covalent radius of carbon is 7o picometers; it is a small atom.


What is the definition of ionic radius?

The ionic radius is the measure of an atom's ion in a crystal lattice. The value for an ionic radius is typically 30 pm to about 200 pm. An ionic radius is usually measured using x-ray crystallography.


What is used to represent the size of an atom using the distance from the nucleus to the outermost electron orbit?

The size of an atom is typically represented by its atomic radius, which is the distance from the nucleus to the outermost electron orbit. This distance is often measured in picometers (pm).


What is the radius of an atom in picometers?

Scandium empirical atom radius: 160 pm Scandium calculated atom radius: 184 pm


What is the size of the atom in helium?

The size of an atom is typically measured in terms of its atomic radius, which for helium is approximately 31 picometers (pm), or 0.31 angstroms. This corresponds to the distance from the nucleus to the outermost electron cloud in a helium atom.


How do you calculate the volume one atom of argon?

The volume of one atom of argon cannot be calculated because atoms do not have a definite volume due to their small size and quantum nature. Atoms are typically measured in picometers, which is a unit of length rather than volume.


What is the radius of a oxygen atom?

The radius of an oxygen atom is approximately 0.65 angstroms.


Why is the radius of an atom of iodine greater than the radius of bromine atom?

An iodine atom has one more principal energy level than a bromine atom. Therefore the radius of an iodine atom is greater than the latter.


How does ionic radius differ from atomic radius?

Ionic radius is the size of an ion after it has gained or lost electrons, leading to a change in the electron configuration and thus its size. Atomic radius refers to the size of an atom, typically measured as the distance from the nucleus to the outermost electron shell. Ionic radius is affected by the change in electron configuration, while atomic radius is more related to the position of the outer electrons in the neutral atom.


What is the radius of a rhodium atom in angstroms?

The radius of a rhodium atom is approximately 1.35 angstroms.


What is the scientific definition of ionic radius?

Ionic radius is defined as the distance from the nucleus of an ion to its outer electron shell. It is measured as the effective distance at which the electron cloud extends in an ionic compound. Ionic radius can vary depending on the overall charge of the ion and the surrounding environment.