Question

derek and his friends were looking at tiny crystals of salt with a magnifying glass. they wondered what they would see if they had a magnifying device powerful enough to see the atoms. this is what they thought they might see:
derek: \the atoms would be packed tightly together. they would look like a solid material without any empty spaces between the atoms.\
pattie: \i think i would see vibrating atoms arranged in an orderly way with spaces between them. there would be nothing in the spaces, not even air.\
vic: \i think i would see atoms not moving and arranged in an orderly way with spaces between them.\
leif: \i think i would see vibrating atoms arranged in an orderly way. there would be space between the atoms. the space would be filled with air.\
which student has the best explanation?
pattie
vic
derek
leif

Explanation:

To determine the best explanation, we analyze the atomic structure of a solid (salt is a solid). In a solid, atoms vibrate (not stationary), are arranged orderly, and have spaces between them (but the spaces are not filled with air as solids have their own atomic arrangement).

• Boris: Incorrect, as solids have spaces between atoms (even if small) and atoms in solids vibrate (not "packed tightly without empty spaces").
• Virk: Incorrect, atoms in solids vibrate (they are not "not moving").
• Leif: Incorrect, the spaces between atoms in a solid (like salt) are not filled with air (solids have their atomic structure, and air is a gas with its own molecules, not filling inter - atomic spaces in a solid).
• Portia: Correct, as in a solid (salt crystal), atoms vibrate, are arranged in an orderly way (crystalline structure), and the spaces between them have nothing (no air, as the solid's structure is self - contained).

Answer:

Portia