Question

In the HCL molecule, the separation between the nuclei of the two atoms is about 1.27 Å (1 Å = 10^-10 m). Find the approximate location of the CM of the molecule, given that a chlorine atom is about 35.5 times as massive as a hydrogen atom and nearly all the mass of an atom is concentrated in its nucleus.

Answer 1

Let nucleus of hydrogen atom be at the origin and nucleus of chlorine lie on x-axis. If the CM of the HCI system lie at (X_cm, 0), then

given, m_CL = 35.5 m_H

\(\frac{35.5}{36.5}\)× 1.27 Å = 1.235 Å.