The radius of a Thomson atom, also known as the classical electron radius, is approximately 2.8179 x 10^-15 meters. It represents the distance between the center of an electron and its outermost point.
The radius of a Thomson atom is calculated using the classical electron radius formula, re = (1/4πε0) x (e^2/mec^2), where ε0 is the permittivity of free space, e is the elementary charge, me is the mass of an electron, and c is the speed of light.
The radius of a Thomson atom is considered a constant value and does not significantly change under normal conditions. However, in extreme environments such as high energy collisions, the radius can be affected by relativistic effects.
The radius of a Thomson atom is significantly smaller than the size of an actual atom, which can range from 62 picometers for a hydrogen atom to 520 picometers for a cesium atom. The Thomson atom only represents the size of the electron within an atom, not the entire atom itself.
Yes, the radius of a Thomson atom is the same for all atoms as it is a fundamental constant. However, the actual size of an atom can vary based on the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons present in its nucleus.