In the HCI molecule, the separation between the nuclei of the two atoms is about 1.27Å (1Å = 10^(-10)m). Find the approximate location of the c.m 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 ?

In the HCI molecule, the separation between the nuclei of the two atom

1.	In the HCI molecule, the separation between the nuclei of the two atoms is about 1.27Å (1Å = 10^(-10)m). Find the approximate location of the c.m 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» SOLUTION :As shown in Fig, suppoise the H nucleus is LOCATED at the origin. Then `x_(1) =0, x_(2) = 1.27 Å, m_(1) =1, m_(2) = 35.5` The position of the CM of HCL molecule is `x= (m_(1)x_(1) + m_(2)x_(2))/(m_(1) + m_(2))` `=(1 xx 0 + 35.5 xx 1.27)/(1 + 35.5) = 1.239Å` Thus the CM ofHCl is located on the line joining H and Cl nuclei at a distance of `1.235 Å` from the H nucleus.