Do sound waves affect the distance between protons in an atom?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the potential effects of sound waves on the distance between protons in an atom, focusing on the interactions of protons and virtual particles within atomic nuclei. It includes theoretical considerations and challenges regarding the influence of sound energy on atomic structure.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that increased atomic vibration due to sound waves could cause protons to repel each other further apart, potentially leading to more charged virtual pions decaying into virtual W+ bosons.
  • Another participant argues that no sound is strong enough to influence the internal structure of nuclei, stating that the forces required would completely evaporate and ionize the sample.
  • A participant describes atomic vibration as a natural phenomenon, using the example of a vibrating guitar string to illustrate how atomic movement could propagate as a pressure wave.
  • One participant claims that pions bring protons together and that charged pions would compensate for increased distances between protons, questioning the existence of "not real charged pions."
  • Another participant emphasizes the vast difference in scales between sound wave forces and nuclear forces, providing a numerical comparison to illustrate the weakness of sound-induced forces relative to those within a nucleus.
  • A participant clarifies that they are not attempting to rip apart or ionize atoms, instead discussing the kinetic energy of sound and its relation to atomic movement.
  • One participant challenges another's understanding of atomic models, suggesting a misunderstanding of atomic structure.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express multiple competing views regarding the influence of sound waves on atomic structure, with no consensus reached on the validity of the claims about protons and virtual particles.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight limitations in understanding the forces involved, with some relying on analogies that may not accurately represent atomic interactions. There is also a lack of agreement on the nature and existence of virtual particles in this context.

HawkI
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When an atom vibrates more than usual, say for example effected by a sound wave, do it's protons repel each other further apart than normal? Thus more charged virtual Pions occurring and decaying (discombobulating) into virtual W+ bosons?

Edit: I know that accelerated charged particles create a magnetic field but I don't want to assume things.
 
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There is no sound strong enough to influence the internal structure of nuclei. The materials simply cannot transmit the massive forces needed for that. You would completely evaporate and ionize your sample in the attempt.
HawkI said:
Thus more charged virtual Pions occurring and decaying (discombobulating) into virtual W+ bosons?
Virtual particles are not real. You cannot count them.
 
atomic vibration is natural, if say I plucked a Guitar string it would oscilate very fast, the atoms moving faster bumping the atoms around it which would continue into a pressure wave

Pions bring protons together, when protons come further apart they become charged pions to make up for the distance

protons repell each other, the more protons move the more of a magnetic field they create

the guitar string is made up of atoms so the protons in each atom would be moving more

in this example would there be more not real charged pions? thankyou for the responce so far i will try harder in future to make my questions clearer
 
There are no real pions at all.

The scales are completely different. It's like trying to rip apart a solid object by standing next to it and hoping that the own gravitational attraction will split it. It won't.
Let's say the guitar string oscillates by 1cm with 1 kHz. That makes 200 km/s^2 peak acceleration, or a force of 3*10-22 N on a single proton to follow that motion. This has to be compared with typical energies of 10 MeV and typical distances of 1 fm in a nucleus, which gives a typical force of about 1kN. The oscillation is 23 orders of magnitude weaker than the forces inside a nucleus. A factor of 100000000000000000000000!
Actually, trying to rip a solid object apart by standing next to it is much more "realistic", just ~15 orders of magnitude.
 
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Hey that's some interesting stuff right there, I'm not trying to rip apart, evaporate or ionize atoms here. I looked into sound energy and it's kinetic. The more the Earth spins, the more the lava inside moves thus more magnetic fields, that's what I mean by protons moving.

And thank you again mfb you have answered my question :)
 
You have the wrong model of the atom in your mind ...
 

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