Why Do Molecules Move: Exploring the Physics Behind It

[Farsight]

...the concept that you are using such as "particle" may be the one at fault...

Oh, most definitely Zapper. I think "particle" has caused a whole heap of problems.

Thanks for trying Astronuc.

 

[sceptic193]

Don't just quit! Now it's getting interesting. Electrons and any other charged particles are moved by electromagnetic and other fields, oscillating and non-oscillating, fields - and there are plenty around in space and vacuum. We all seem to be victims of Dr. Brown's observation of pollen quivering on the surface of a drop of water under his microscope as a result of the surrounding irregular bombardment by by water molecules. What a nonsense when you consider the difference of mass between an oscillating water molecule and the asteroidal mass of the pollen it pounces on. Then consider the zillions of water molecules in the immediate boundary layer of water enveloping the pollen. Then consider Stokes' law which would prohibit the small pollen particle to move at the observed speed through water. Then submerse a 0.8 micrometer diameter particle in water and observe its random motion "through" the water vehicle. Its velocity is now so much faster than that of the much larger pollen, thus defying Stokes' law even more. Our pool ball collision kinetics seems to be totally outdated.

Now, what kicks the molecule off your 0 K pedestal, accelerates it from zero to meters per second speed for ever if nothing else bumps into it? If we feed it with the photon's energy, why would this energy have to manifest itself as kinetic energy in the molecule and not in any other form of energy? I would say, the molecule would simply stay on its pedestal and enjoy the swallowed energy from the photon as potential energy. Period.

Why do molecules move? They follow field gradients. The field quiver.