Wonder about atom characteristic

  • Context: High School 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Chitose
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Atom Characteristic
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the characteristics of atoms and the nature of matter, including questions about the composition of atoms, the concept of space within atoms, and the differences between various types of matter. Participants explore theoretical and conceptual aspects of atomic structure and interactions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant wonders if most matter, including the human body, is primarily space due to the atomic structure, questioning why we cannot walk through or see through each other.
  • Another participant explains that the electromagnetic force and the Pauli exclusion principle prevent atoms from occupying the same space, contributing to the inability to walk through each other.
  • A different contribution discusses the complexity of defining 'space' at the atomic level, noting that atoms consist of electrons and nuclei, which do not behave like solid spheres.
  • Participants discuss the differences between elements, such as iron and meat, highlighting that iron is a pure element while meat is a compound made of various elements, and that chemical bonding and molecular structure also play significant roles in these differences.
  • One participant questions the outcome of smashing atoms together with enough force to overcome electromagnetic repulsion, suggesting it may lead to nuclear fission and referencing large-scale experiments like those at CERN.
  • Another participant seeks clarification on the differences between single atoms of different elements, such as iron and carbon, and how they are classified as elements despite being distinct from one another.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying viewpoints on the nature of atomic space, the reasons for the inability to pass through matter, and the distinctions between different types of matter. The discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing views presented.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in defining 'space' at the atomic level, and the discussion includes unresolved questions about the nature of atomic interactions and the classification of elements.

Chitose
Messages
73
Reaction score
0
First to tell, I'm a ordinary people who curious in science field. I can't use difficult word myself but I can understand when you use it don't worry.

.........

Most of atom is space right? (Nucleus at center and electron cycle around very far away compare to it's size.)

Okay, what I wonder is...
(1.)
Everything is made up of an atom, dose that mean Most of all matter is space? include human body?
than why we can't walk through or see through each other?

(2.)
If Everything is made form atom,than what make matter different? I mean, What make meat different than Iron?

If we strip 'single' atom from meat and iron, what make it different?

............
P.S English is not my native language, forgive me if I'm wrong in gramma or spelling
 
Physics news on Phys.org
There are multiple reasons but the primary one would be the electro-magnetic force that keeps electrons from getting too close. Think of each atom as surrounded by electrons and they are all negative charge so they have a repulsive force on each other preventing you from moving one atom through another.

One other reason is the pauli exclusion principle which says that fermions (leptons/quarks, that's what electrons and protons/neutrons are made of) cannot occupy the same space and be in the same quantum state. Light does not behave in this way, light is made of bosons and due to their nature you can have any amount you want in the same space, they do not interact with each other via the pauli exclusion principle.
 
Chitose said:
Everything is made up of an atom, dose that mean Most of all matter is space? include human body?

Sure, but defining 'space' or 'empty space' isn't an easy thing to do at the level of atoms.
Atoms aren't tiny hard spheres, they consist of electrons and nuclei. Only the electrons aren't tiny hard spheres either (they're in fact tiny points, as far as we can see). But they don't quite act like little dots whizzing around either - they're 'smeared out' and all we can say for sure at any given moment is the probability of where an electron is.

The nucleus on the other hand isn't a hard sphere either, it's made of neutrons and protons, which are made up of quarks, which are made up of - we don't really know.

than why we can't walk through or see through each other?

You can't walk through someone else because the electrons surrounding an atom are negatively charged. If two molecules get close to each other, the electrons will cause them to repel each other.

You can't see through another person because the molecules we're made out of absorb visual light. On the other hand, they don't absorb many radio waves (for instance), which is physically the same thing as light - just a very 'different color'. If your eyes were sensitive to radio waves instead then you would be able to see through people. (except their eyes I guess, since those would be required to absorb radio waves in order to detect them)

If Everything is made form atom,than what make matter different? I mean, What make meat different than Iron?

Well, first elements. Iron is an element. Meat is mostly made out of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen. (Compare: Metals with non-metals, or two different metals)

Second: Chemical bonding. How molecules are put together in terms of chemical bonds.
(Compare: Coal to diamond. Both are made out of carbon)

Third: Structure. How the molecule is put together in its big, overall structure.
(Compare: A polyethylene plastic bag to some oil. They're made out of more or less the same elements,
carbon and hydrogen, with the same bonds, but with different molecule lengths and shapes)
 
(1)
Electro-magnetic push between two atom is seriously strong huh.

So, If we smash two atom into each other with force that strong enough to penetrate electro magnetic push, what become of it? Nuclear fission?

I think I heard big project about ...cern... or zern... are they try to do same thing?
............
(2)
Oh I get it, Iron is pure single element but meat is compound of many element.
If we can divide all of meat atom and arrange it element by element, it will become same.

Than what about atom of two different element? Single atom of Iron and single atom of cabon, they both also element right? what make it different?
 

Similar threads

High School What causes solidity of objects?
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
7K
Undergrad Energy levels in atoms & speed of interaction
  • · Replies 48 ·
2
Replies
48
Views
8K
High School Fundamental Questions about Atoms
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
1K
High School What Surprised Geiger in the Gold Foil Experiment on Atom Structure?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
High School Assistance finding the nuclear energy difference during nuclear fusion
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
High School Do Atoms Expand with the Universe?
  • · Replies 76 ·
3
Replies
76
Views
8K
Could 2-D & 3-D & 4-D atoms interact?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
High School Particles Within Atoms: Uncovering the Mystery of Forces and Vacuum
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
High School Why don't solids always stick together?
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
4K
High School Can a hypothetical atom be made out of positrons and electrons ?
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
3K