Chapter 17, Problem 50A

You could swallow a capsule of the element germanium without harm. But if a proton were added to each of the germanium nuclei, you would not want to swallow the capsule.

To determine

To explain: The reason due to which a person is unable to swallow the capsule.

Answer to Problem 50A

The capsule becomes poisonous, so the person would not want to swallow the capsule.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

An element is a material which is made up of only one type of atom.

Atoms are the building blocks of matter.

Calculation:

Germanium is an element, so swallowing a capsule made of the element germanium will not hurt the person.

Consider that the each germanium nuclei is added with a proton, the germanium will gets converted into arsenic which is poisonous to human health.

Hence, the capsule becomes poisonous, so the person would not want to swallow the capsule.

Conclusion:

Thus, the capsule becomes poisonous, so the person will not swallow the capsule.