[heeq1]

Hi, everyone. Just thought you could help me. I have two questions about x-ray diffraction and i am supposed to use benzene as an example. So, do i need benzene of a solid or liquid state and why? And why can't this technique detect hydrogen? is it because hydrogen is very small in size and because of that no diffractions can occur? Thanks

[fledarmus]

1) How does X-ray diffraction work? What is there about the technique that lets you get any data?

2) What do you know about the orientations of molecules in solids and in liquids?

3) What is the minimum size feature that you would expect to be able to detect by x-ray diffraction? Have you learned how to calculate that yet? And what is the size of a hydrogen molecule? From this information, do you know whether it is because hydrogen is small in size?