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A Water Molecule's Chemical Formula Isn't Really H20

Posted by timothy on from the at-least-not-all-the-time dept.

hackwrench writes "According to this article in Physics News Update, a water molecule's chemical formula is really not H2O, at least from the perspective of neutrons and electrons interacting with the molecule for only attoseconds (less than 10-15 seconds). According to new and recent experiments, neutrons and electrons colliding with water for just attoseconds will see a ratio of hydrogen to oxygen of roughly 1.5 to 1, so a more accurate formula for water under these circumstances would be H1.5O."

3 of 103 comments (clear)

  1. Still water! by trompete · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well, as long as it's still wet, there's no reason to panic.

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    More than enough BS
  2. Re:water in time by Creepy+Crawler · · Score: 5, Funny

    And if it was H2O.99999973 , we'd know what CPU they used to count it with....

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  3. Re:H2O, H3O, and OH by jonadab · · Score: 5, Funny

    > The big deal is you'd end up with a glass 125% full of water.

    Ah, but if you take a couple of sips, then you'll have a glass that
    is three-quarters full and three-quarters empty. Get another glass
    just like it, drink yet a few _more_ sips out of it, until it's
    one-quarter full and one-quarter empty, pour them together, and the
    glass will be full and not full. You know, the full glass that
    cannot be empty is not the true full glass, and all that zen rot.

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    Cut that out, or I will ship you to Norilsk in a box.