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"*": "__NOTOC__\n<center>\n<font size=5px>''Welcome to the '''explain [[xkcd]]''' wiki!''</font><br>\n<span style=\"font size:210%;\">We have an explanation for all [[List of all comics (full)|'''3209''' xkcd comics]], and only 60 (1.9%) are incomplete. [[:Category:Incomplete explanations|Help us finish them!]]</span>\n</center>\n<span style=\"position: absolute; right:0; padding-top:1.4em; font-size: 100%;\"><span class=\"no-link-underline\">[[3200| </span>'''Go to this explanation''']]</span>\n\n=Latest comic=\n<div style=\"border:1px solid grey; background:#f6f6f6; padding:1.5em;\">\n<metadesc>explain xkcd is a wiki dedicated to explaining the webcomic xkcd. Go figure.</metadesc><table class=\"comic-content \" cellspacing=\"5\" style=\"background-color: #FFFFFF;\n border: 1px solid #a2a9b1; color: black; font-size: 88%;\n line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0.5em 0 0.5em 1em; padding: 0.2em;\n text-align: center; width:98%; \"><tr><td style=\"font-size: 21px; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 800; padding-bottom:11px; padding-top:15px;\">Chemical Formula</td></tr><tr><td><ul style=\"text-align: center; margin-bottom: 10px;\" class=\"no-link-underline\"><li style=\"background-color: #6E7B91;\n border: 1.5px solid #333333; border-radius: 3px 3px 3px 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 5px 0 gray;\n display: inline; font-size: 16px; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 600;\n margin: 0 4px; padding: 1.5px 0;\">[[1: Barrel - Part 1|<span style=\"color: #FFFFFF; padding: 0 12px; white-space: nowrap;\" title=\"\">|<</span>]]</li><li style=\"background-color: #6E7B91;\n border: 1.5px solid #333333; border-radius: 3px 3px 3px 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 5px 0 gray;\n display: inline; font-size: 16px; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 600;\n margin: 0 4px; padding: 1.5px 0;\">[[3199|<span style=\"color: #FFFFFF; padding: 0 12px;\" title=\"\">< Prev</span>]]</li><li style=\"background-color: #6E7B91;\n border: 1.5px solid #333333; border-radius: 3px 3px 3px 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 5px 0 gray;\n display: inline; font-size: 16px; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 600;\n margin: 0 4px; padding: 1.5px 0;\"\n class=\"plainlinks\">[https://xkcd.com/3200<span style=\"color: #FFFFFF; padding: 0 12px;\" title=\"Open this comic on xkcd.com\">#3200 (January 28, 2026)</span>]</li> </ul></td></tr><tr><td>[[File:chemical_formula_2x.png|740x225px|Some of the atoms in the molecule are very weakly bound.]]<br /><span style=\"margin-top: 0.9em; margin-bottom: 0em; display:inline-block; font-size: 120%; \"><span class=\"plainlinks\" title=\"\">''[[Title text|Title text]]:''</span> Some of the atoms in the molecule are very weakly bound.</span></td></tr><tr><td><ul style=\"text-align: center; margin-top:2px; margin-bottom:10px;\" class=\"no-link-underline\"></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td><ul style=\"text-align: center; margin-top:-7px; margin-bottom:15px;\" class=\"no-link-underline\"><li style=\"background-color: #6E7B91;\n border: 1.5px solid #333333; border-radius: 3px 3px 3px 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 5px 0 gray;\n display: inline; font-size: 16px; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 600;\n margin: 0 4px; padding: 1.5px 0;\">[[1: Barrel - Part 1|<span style=\"color: #FFFFFF; padding: 0 12px; white-space: nowrap;\" title=\"\">|<</span>]]</li><li style=\"background-color: #6E7B91;\n border: 1.5px solid #333333; border-radius: 3px 3px 3px 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 5px 0 gray;\n display: inline; font-size: 16px; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 600;\n margin: 0 4px; padding: 1.5px 0;\">[[3199|<span style=\"color: #FFFFFF; padding: 0 12px;\" title=\"\">< Prev</span>]]</li><li style=\"background-color: #6E7B91;\n border: 1.5px solid #333333; border-radius: 3px 3px 3px 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 5px 0 gray;\n display: inline; font-size: 16px; font-variant: small-caps; font-weight: 600;\n margin: 0 4px; padding: 1.5px 0;\" class=\"plainlinks\">[[Special:RandomInCategory/All pages|<span style=\"color: #FFFFFF; padding: 0 12px;\" title=\"\">Random Explanation</span>]]</li> </ul></td></tr></table>[[Category:All comics]][[Category:All pages]][[Category:Comics from 2026]] [[Category:Comics from January]] [[Category:Wednesday comics]]\n\n==Explanation==\n<div style=\"display: flex; justify-content: center;\">\n{| style=\"background-color: #f8f9fa; border: 1px solid #aaa; box-shadow: 2px 2px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); border-left: 10px solid #0d5bb3; margin: 0 auto; width: auto; max-width: 70%; display: inline-block;\" class=\"notice_tpl\" \n|style=\"padding:0 0.5em; line-height: 330%; text-align: left;\"|[[File:Ambox warning blue construction.png|link=|40x40px]]\n|style=\"padding:0 0.75em; text-align: left;\"| '''''This is one of [[:Category:Incomplete explanations|60 incomplete explanations]]:'''''<br>This page was created by the carbon in the universe . Don't remove this notice too soon. If you can fix this issue, '''[//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=API&action=edit edit the page]'''![[Category:Incomplete explanations]]\n\n|}\n</div>\nThe supposed \"chemical formula for the universe\" merely lists the numbers of atoms of each element. As is common practice for real compounds that contain organic structures or substructures, the numbers of atoms of carbon and hydrogen are listed before all of the others; the others are listed in alphabetical order. There are estimated to be 10<sup>80</sup> atoms of hydrogen (H), by far the most common element in the universe. The next most common element, helium (He), is a long way to the right in the list, and out of view, but would be about a third as many as the hydrogens.\n\nThese numbers are large, but they are not nameless. Using the [[wikipedia:Long and short scales|<span title=\"Long and short scales on Wikipedia\">long and short scales</span>]], these numbers can be described as:\n{| class=\"wikitable sortable\"\n!Pos!!Symb!!Name !!Quantity !!Short Scale name !!Long Scale name(s) !!Ranked quantity*\n|-\n| 1|| C ||Carbon ||data-sort-value=\"1e76\"|10<sup>76</sup> ||Ten quattuorvigintillion ||Ten thousand duodecillion<br/>Ten duodecilliard ||4\n|-\n| 2|| H ||Hydrogen ||data-sort-value=\"1e80\"|10<sup>80</sup> ||One hundred quinvigintillion ||One hundred tridecilllion ||1\n|-\n| 3|| Ac ||Actinium ||data-sort-value=\"1e67\"|10<sup>67</sup> ||Ten unvigintillion ||Ten undecillion ||data-sort-value=\"84\"|\u224884\n|-\n| 4|| Ag ||Silver ||data-sort-value=\"1e69\"|10<sup>69</sup> ||One duovigintillion ||One thousand undecillion<br/>One undecilliard ||data-sort-value=\"68\"|\u224868\n|-\n| 5|| Al ||Aluminium<br/>Aluminum||data-sort-value=\"1e75\"|10<sup>75</sup> ||One quattuorvigintillion ||One thousand duodecillion<br/>One duodecilliard ||14\n|-\n| 6|| Am ||Americium ||data-sort-value=\"1e26\"|10<sup>26</sup> ||One hundred septillion ||One hundred quadrillion ||data-sort-value=\"84\"|\u224884\n|-\n| 7|| Ar ||Argon ||data-sort-value=\"1e75\"|10<sup>75</sup> ||One quattuorvigintillion ||One thousand duodecillion<br/>One duodecilliard ||11\n|-\n| 8|| As ||Arsenic ||data-sort-value=\"1e70\"|10<sup>70</sup> ||Ten duovigintillion ||Ten thousand undecillion<br>Ten undecilliard ||data-sort-value=\"40\"|\u224840\n|-\n| 9|| At ||Astatine ||data-sort-value=\"1e47\"|10<sup>47</sup> ||One hundred quattuordecillion||One hundred thousand septillion<br/>One hundred septilliard ||data-sort-value=\"84\"|\u224884\n|-\n| 10|| Au ||Gold ||data-sort-value=\"1e69\"|10<sup>69</sup> ||One duovigintillion ||One thousand undecillion<br/>One undecilliard ||data-sort-value=\"68\"|\u224868\n|-\n| 11|| B ||Boron ||data-sort-value=\"1e71\"|10<sup>71</sup> ||One hundred duovigintillion ||One hundred thousand undecillion<br/>One hundred undecilliard||data-sort-value=\"61\"|\u224861\n|-\n| 12|| Ba ||Barium ||data-sort-value=\"1e70\"|10<sup>70</sup> ||Ten duovigintillion ||Ten thousand undecillion<br>Ten undecilliard ||data-sort-value=\"33\"|\u224833\n|-\n| 13|| Be ||Beryllium ||data-sort-value=\"1e71\"|10<sup>71</sup>*||One hundred duovigintillion ||One hundred thousand undecillion<br/>One hundred undecilliard||data-sort-value=\"61\"|\u224861\n|-\n|data-sort-value=\"43\"|43*||He||Helium||data-sort-value=\"3e79\"|10<sup>79</sup>*||Ten quinvigintillion ||Ten tridecilllion ||2\n|-\n|data-sort-value=\"73\"|73*||O ||Oxygen||data-sort-value=\"1e78\"|10<sup>78</sup>*||One quinvigintillion ||One tridecilllion ||3\n|}\n:<nowiki>*</nowiki> - Information not provided by the comic; Source for ranked data, in particular, does not 'entirely' agree with the quantities that are given in the comic.\n\nThe matter originally created in the Big Bang was unbound protons and neutrons. In the first few minutes, [[wikipedia:Big Bang nucleosynthesis|<span title=\"Big Bang nucleosynthesis on Wikipedia\">some of these combined to form lightweight nuclei</span>]], but most remained as protons, i.e. the nuclei of hydrogen atoms. Other, more complex atoms formed later as a result of [[wikipedia:Stellar nucleosynthesis|<span title=\"Stellar nucleosynthesis on Wikipedia\">stellar nucleosynthesis</span>]], up to atomic mass 56. Still more massive nuclei have been formed via [[wikipedia:Supernova nucleosynthesis|<span title=\"Supernova nucleosynthesis on Wikipedia\">supernova nucleosynthesis</span>]]. Although the proportions of these atoms depend in a complex way on the fusion processes involved, and on the stabilities of those nuclei, the most massive atoms are generally both less favored to form and short-lived, so their elemental abundances in the universe are very small. As shown above, the number of americium (Am) atoms is much smaller than those of any other element in the visible part of the \"formula\". There are slightly fewer atoms of americium in the entire universe than the total number of atoms of hydrogen and oxygen in 1.0 L of liquid water.\n\nThis may be poking some fun at the relative usefulness (or rather, uselessness) of chemical formulas for large organic molecules. While it is a useful concept for teaching people about chemistry and balancing equations, and it was useful in the early days of chemistry to try to categorize and learn about molecules via stoichiometry - it does not give much useful information. For example even the simple formula C<sub>11</sub>H<sub>15</sub>NO<sub>2</sub> has 302 registered isomers.<sup>[[[Template:Actual citation needed#top|''actual citation needed'']]]</sup> Many of them are NOT good to eat.<sup>[[[285: Wikipedian Protester#top|''citation needed'']]]</sup>\n\nThe formula as it appears in the comic is truncated. The complete formula of the universe in this style (but arranged in order of abundance after carbon) would be C\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2077 H\u2081\u2080\u2078\u2070 He\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2079 O\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2078 Ne\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2076 N\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2076 Mg\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2075 Si\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2075 Ar\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2075 Fe\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2076 S\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2076 Ni\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2075 Ca\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2075 Al\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2075 B\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Be\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Na\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2075 As\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b2 Br\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b2 Li\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b2 Cr\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2075 Ti\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2074 Mn\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2074 P\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2074 K\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2074 V\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2074 Cl\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2074 F\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b3 Sc\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b2 Co\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2074 Cu\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b2 Zn\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b3 Ga\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b2 Ge\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b3 Se\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b2 Kr\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b2 Rb\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b2 Sr\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b2 Y\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Zr\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b2 Nb\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Mo\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Tc\u2081\u2080\u2070 Ru\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Rh\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 Pd\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Ag\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 Cd\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 In\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 Sn\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Sb\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 Te\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b2 I\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Xe\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b2 Cs\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 Ba\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b2 La\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Ce\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b2 Pr\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Nd\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b2 Pm\u2081\u2080\u2070 Sm\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Eu\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 Gd\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Tb\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 Dy\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Ho\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 Er\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Tm\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 Yb\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Lu\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 Hf\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 Ta\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 W\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 Re\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 Os\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Ir\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Pt\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Au\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 Hg\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b9 Tl\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 Pb\u2081\u2080\u2077\u00b2 Bi\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 Po\u2081\u2080\u2070 At\u2081\u2080\u2070 Rn\u2081\u2080\u2070 Fr\u2081\u2080\u2070 Ra\u2081\u2080\u2070 Ac\u2081\u2080\u2070 Th\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 Pa\u2081\u2080\u2070 U\u2081\u2080\u2077\u2070 Np\u2081\u2080\u2070 Pu\u2081\u2080\u2070 Am\u2081\u2080\u2070 Cm\u2081\u2080\u2070 Bk\u2081\u2080\u2070 Cf\u2081\u2080\u2070 Es\u2081\u2080\u2070 Fm\u2081\u2080\u2070 Md\u2081\u2080\u2070 No\u2081\u2080\u2070 Lr\u2081\u2080\u2070 Rf\u2081\u2080\u2070 Db\u2081\u2080\u2070 Sg\u2081\u2080\u2070 Bh\u2081\u2080\u2070 Hs\u2081\u2080\u2070 Mt\u2081\u2080\u2070 Ds\u2081\u2080\u2070 Rg\u2081\u2080\u2070 Cn\u2081\u2080\u2070 Nh\u2081\u2080\u2070 Fl\u2081\u2080\u2070 Mc\u2081\u2080\u2070 Lv\u2081\u2080\u2070 Ts\u2081\u2080\u2070 Og\u2081\u2080\u2070 according to [https://ptable.com/#Properties/Abundance/Universe estimates of abundance]. \n\nThe title text is probably referencing [[wikipedia:Gravity|<span title=\"Gravity on Wikipedia\">gravity</span>]], because for the most part most of mentioned atoms would be \"held together\" only by gravity, and it is a very weak bond indeed.\n\n==Transcript==\n<div style=\"display: flex; justify-content: center;\">\n{| style=\"background-color: #f8f9fa; border: 1px solid #aaa; box-shadow: 2px 2px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); border-left: 10px solid #04b60c; margin: 0 auto; width: auto; max-width: 70%; display: inline-block;\" class=\"notice_tpl\" \n|style=\"padding:0 0.5em; line-height: 330%; text-align: left;\"|[[File:Ambox warning green construction.png|link=|40x40px]]\n|style=\"padding:0 0.75em; text-align: left;\"| '''''This is one of [[:Category:Incomplete transcripts|40 incomplete transcripts]]:'''''<br>Don't remove this notice too soon. If you can fix this issue, '''[//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=API&action=edit edit the page]'''!\n|}\n</div>[[Category:Incomplete transcripts]]\n:[A long panel with a chemical formula trailing off the right side]\n:C<sub>10<sup>76</sup></sub> H<sub>10<sup>80</sup></sub> Ac<sub>10<sup>67</sup></sub> Ag<sub>10<sup>69</sup></sub> Al<sub>10<sup>75</sup></sub> Am<sub>10<sup>26</sup></sub> Ar<sub>10<sup>75</sup></sub> As<sub>10<sup>70</sup></sub> At<sub>10<sup>47</sup></sub> Au<sub>10<sup>69</sup></sub> B<sub>10<sup>71</sup></sub> Ba<sub>10<sup>70</sup></sub> Be\n:[Caption below the panel:] The approximate chemical formula for the universe\n\n\n<br><div style=\"clear: both\"></div><span id=\"Discussion\"></span><span style=\"position: absolute; right:0; padding-top:1.7em; font-size: 105%;\">[[File:comment.png|21x21px|link=//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:API&action=edit]]<span class=\"no-link-underline\">[//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:API&action=edit </span>'''Add comment'''] [[File:new topic.png|21x21px|link=//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:API&action=edit§ion=new]]<span class=\"no-link-underline\">[//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:API&action=edit§ion=new </span>'''Create topic (use sparingly)'''] [[File:refresh discuss.png|21x21px|link=//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=API&action=purge]]<span class=\"no-link-underline\">[//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=API&action=purge </span>'''Refresh'''] </span><h1>Discussion</h1>\n<div class=\"disctemp\" style=\"border:1px solid grey; background:#f6f6f6; padding-top:0.5em; padding-left:1.5em; padding-right:1.5em; padding-bottom:2.5em;\">\n<br>''No comments yet, [//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Talk:API&action=edit add the first comment]!''</div>__NOTOC__\n----\n\n<span style=\"position: absolute; left:0; padding-top:1.35em; font-size: 105%;\"><span class=\"no-link-underline\"> [[File:new topic.png|21x21px|link=3200#Discussion]][[3200#Discussion| </span>'''View comic discussion''']]</span><br><br></div>\n\n== New here? ==\n<div style=\"float:right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em\">[[:Special:ContributionScores/10/30/nosort,notools]]<div style=\"font-size:0.85em; width:28em; font-style:italic\">[[Special:ContributionScores|Lots of people]] contribute to make this wiki a success. Many of the recent contributors above have [//www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special:Contributions&contribs=newbie just joined]. You can do it too! Create your account [[Special:UserLogin/signup|here]].</div></div>\n\nYou can read a brief introduction about this wiki at [[explain xkcd]]. Feel free to [[Special:UserLogin/signup|create an account]] and contribute to the wiki! We need explanations for xkcd [[:Category:Incomplete explanations|comics]], [[:Category:Characters|characters]], [[What If? chapters|''What If?'' articles]], and [[:Category:xkcd|everything in between]]. If it is referenced in an [[xkcd]] comic, it should be here.\n\n* If you're new to wiki editing, see the [[explain xkcd:Editor FAQ]] for a specific guidance to this wiki and the more general help on [[mw:Help:Editing pages|how to edit wiki pages]]. There's also a handy [[wikipedia:Help:Cheatsheet|<span title=\"Help:Cheatsheet on Wikipedia\">wikicode cheatsheet</span>]].\n\n* Discussion about the wiki itself happens at the [[explain xkcd:Community portal|Community portal]].\n\n* You can browse the comics from the [[List of all comics (full)|list of all comics]] or by navigating the category tree at [[:Category:Comics]].\n\n* The incomplete explanations are listed [[:Category:Incomplete explanations|here]]. Feel free to help out by expanding them!\n\n== Rules ==\n\nDon't be a jerk!\n\nThere are a lot of comics that don't have set-in-stone explanations; feel free to put multiple interpretations in the wiki page for each comic.\n\nIf you want to talk about a specific comic, use its discussion page.\n\nPlease only submit material directly related to xkcd and, of course, only submit material that can legally be posted and freely edited. Off-topic or other inappropriate content is subject to removal or modification at admin discretion, and users who repeatedly post such content will be blocked.\n\nIf you need assistance from an [[explain xkcd:Administrators|admin]], post a message to the [[explain xkcd:Community portal/Admin requests|Admin requests]] board.\n\n[[Category:Root category]]\n\nRecent comments: [[:Special:RecentChanges]]"
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