Learn more physics!
Q:
’ve found a lot of people claiming that [take your pick] has a number of combinations that is larger than the number of molecules in the known universe. Now, I know that there are a lot of ways to fold proteins or play the game ’go’, but I was wondering roughly how many molecules this was.
How many molecules are there in the universe?
- Doug Grim (age 22)
Procrastinators Club, Chicago, IL, USA
A:
Hi Doug. It was kind of strange to see a question from you. I don't
know if you know who this is, but check the pictures from our last few
shows to see if you recognize anyone. I couldn't find an answer to how
many molecules are in the universe, but here's a website that gives an
idea of how many atoms there are:
Ask the Astronomer
Hope this helps!
-Jen
(published on 10/22/2007)
Follow-up on this answer.
