Gerry is looking at salt under a powerful microscope and notices a crystalline structure. What can be known about the salt sample that Gerry is looking at?

1. The atoms have spread out from each other.

2. The atoms are sliding past each other.

3. The atoms have no particular pattern

4. The atoms are vibrating in place

Question

Physics

Marcos Powers

28 September, 01:40

Gerry is looking at salt under a powerful microscope and notices a crystalline structure. What can be known about the salt sample that Gerry is looking at?

1. The atoms have spread out from each other.

2. The atoms are sliding past each other.

3. The atoms have no particular pattern

4. The atoms are vibrating in place

+5

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Cordell Forbes · Answer 1

4. The atoms are vibrating in place

Explanation:

The answer is; The atoms are vibrating in place

We know that, molecules in the crystal have a definite position in the crystal and are bonded to each other by electrostatic forces. However, since the molecules have some energy, they vibrate in their positions. Their energy, however, is not high enough to cause them to overcome the strong bonding (unless the crystal is heated or the atoms are irradiated).