A model of a red blood cell portrays the cell as a spherical capacitor, a positi

Question

A model of a red blood cell portrays the cell as a spherical capacitor, a positively charged liquid sphere of surface area A separated from the surrounding negatively charged fluid by a membrane of thickness t. Tiny electrodes introduced into the interior of the cell show a potential difference of 100 mV across the membrane. The membrane's thickness is estimated to be 102 nm and has a dielectric constant of 5. 00. If an average red blood cell has a mass of le-12 kg, estimate the volume of the cell and thus find its surface area. The density of blood is 1100 kg/m3. volume = surface area = Estimate the capacitance of the cell by assuming the membrane surfaces act as parallel plates. Calculate the charge on the surface of the membrane. How many electronic (elementary) charges does the surface charge represent?

Explanation / Answer

I'm not sure how to do part b, but for part a: m = 1.1e-12 kg rho = 1100 kg/m3 V = m/rho = 1.1e-12/1100 = 1e-15 m3

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