Extra Credit

Layla Molayem

Chemistry 

Dr. Forman 

6 - 20 - 13 

Extra Credit 

The Great Test Tube In The Sky 

Although most people think the sky is filled with nothing but stars, its also filled with gas thats density covers 100 - 1,000 molecules per cubic cm. The sky is also made up of hydrogen which covers 92% of the sky, helium which covers 8% and a very small content of oxygen. ALMA, the atacama large millimetre / sub-millimeter, is a new tool thats the worlds most powerful radio telescope. It consists of 66 dishes and has made many new discoveries. Although older telescopes can detect strong, simple signals of the sort emitted but small molecules like carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide, which have two and three atoms respectively, spotting more complex substances, like the ALMA can do, was almost impossible because their rotational energy is catered but their numerous bonds acs a wide range of frequencies. Even though the ALMA has only been open since march 13th, it has already identified glycolaldehyde and acetone, molecules that have eight and ten atoms respectively. http://www.almaobservatory.org