Tungsten has the highest melting point of any metal in the periodic table: 3422°C. The distance between the centers of W atoms in tungsten metal is 2.74 Å. c. If you put tungsten metal under high pressure, predict what would happen to the distance between W atoms.

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Understand that applying high pressure to a material generally compresses it, reducing the volume it occupies.

Recognize that in a solid metal like tungsten, atoms are arranged in a lattice structure, and applying pressure typically decreases the distance between atoms.

Consider the concept of compressibility, which is a measure of how much a substance can be compressed. Metals, including tungsten, have low compressibility, but under high pressure, the atomic distances can still decrease.

Recall that the decrease in atomic distance under pressure is due to the atoms being forced closer together, which can affect the material's properties, such as its density and possibly its electrical conductivity.

Predict that under high pressure, the distance between tungsten atoms would decrease, leading to a denser atomic arrangement.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Atomic Structure and Bonding

The atomic structure of tungsten consists of closely packed atoms held together by metallic bonds. These bonds arise from the delocalization of electrons, allowing atoms to maintain a stable arrangement. Understanding how these bonds function is crucial for predicting changes in atomic distances under varying conditions, such as pressure.

Effect of Pressure on Atomic Distances

Applying high pressure to a material typically forces atoms closer together, reducing the distance between them. This phenomenon occurs because the external pressure overcomes the repulsive forces between electrons in adjacent atoms, leading to a more compact arrangement. In the case of tungsten, this would likely result in a decrease in the distance between W atoms.

Phase Changes and Material Properties

Materials can undergo phase changes when subjected to extreme conditions like high pressure. These changes can alter physical properties, including atomic spacing and overall structure. For tungsten, understanding how it behaves under pressure is essential for predicting its stability and potential transformations, such as transitioning to a denser phase.

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Textbook Question

With the exception of helium, the noble gases condense to form solids when they are cooled sufficiently. At temperatures below 83 K, argon forms a close-packed solid whose structure is shown below. (b) Is this value larger or smaller than the bonding atomic radius estimated for argon in Figure 7.7?

Textbook Question

With the exception of helium, the noble gases condense to form solids when they are cooled sufficiently. At temperatures below 83 K, argon forms a close-packed solid whose structure is shown below. (c) Based on this comparison would you say that the atoms are held together by chemical bonds in solid argon?

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Textbook Question

Tungsten has the highest melting point of any metal in the periodic table: 3422°C. The distance between the centers of W atoms in tungsten metal is 2.74 Å. a. What is the atomic radius of a tungsten atom in this environment? (This radius is called the metallic radius.)

Textbook Question

Which of the following statements about the bonding atomic radii in Figure 7.7 is incorrect? (i) For a given period, the radii of the representative elements generally decrease from left to right across a period. (ii) The radii of the representative elements for the n = 3 period are all larger than those of the corresponding elements in the n = 2 period. (iii) For most of the representative elements, the change in radius from the n = 2 to the n = 3 period is greater than the change in radius from n = 3 to n = 4. (iv) The radii of the transition elements generally increase moving from left to right within a period. (v) The large radii of the Group 1 elements are due to their relatively small effective nuclear charges.

Textbook Question

Estimate the As¬I bond length from the data in Figure 7.7 and compare your value to the experimental As ¬I bond length in arsenic triiodide, AsI₃, 2.55 Å.

Textbook Question

The experimental Bi─I bond length in bismuth triiodide, Bil3, is 2.81 Å. Based on this value and the data in Figure 7.7, predict the atomic radius of Bi.