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Breaking bonds reveals their strength
To measure the strength of a single chemical bond directly, researchers tugged on a long molecule until its link to a surface snapped.
References:
Grandbois, M. . . . and H.E. Gaub. 1999. How strong is a covalent bond? Science 283(March 12):1727.
Further Readings:
Weiss, P. 1998. Atom tinkerer's paradise. Science News 154(Oct. 24):268.
Sources:
Julio M. Fernandez
Mayo Foundation
Department of Physiological Biophysics
1-1178 Medical Science Building
Rochester, MN 55905
Hermann E. Gaub
Lehrstuhl für Angewandte Physik
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität
Amalienstrasse 54
D-80799 München
Germany
Michel Grandbois
Lehrstuhl für Angewandte Physik
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität
Amelienstrasse 54
D-80799 München
Germany
Paul K. Hansma
University of California, Santa Barbara
Department of Physics
Santa Barbara, CA 93106
From Science News, Vol. 155, No. 11, March 13, 1999, p. 167. Copyright © 1999, Science Service.
