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How can we prove that water consist of tiny molecules? |
A molecule is an aggregation of atomic nuclei and electrons
that is sufficiently stable to possess observable properties — and
there are few molecules that are more stable and difficult to decompose
than H2O. In water, each hydrogen nucleus is bound to the central oxygen atom by a pair of electrons that are shared between them. The molecules are smaller than light waves, they cannot be observed directly, and must be "visualized" by alternative means. This computer-generated image comes from calculations that model the electron distribution in the H2O molecule. The outer envelope shows the effective "surface" of the molecule as defined by the extent of the cloud of negative electric charge created by the eight electrons. |