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tenlittlebullets) wrote2003-11-04 03:23 pm
tenlittlebullets) wrote2003-11-04 03:23 pm
Question.
Okay, if anyone reading this happens to know a lot about chemistry, here's a question that's been bugging me for a while:
From an electromagnetic standpoint, the structure of an atom is extremely unlikely. We learned in elementary school that the positive end of a magnet will repel the positive end of another magnet, and attract its negative end--yet somehow, the protons, all positively charged, are held together in the nucleus. That is sufficiently explained by the power of the strong force, but here's what's been annoying me: how do the electrons remain in orbit around the nucleus? Why don't the protons attract them until the atom mashes together in a giant squish of quarks and electrons? What force keeps them there? It's driving me nuts.
*spins around in circles in frustration*
By the way, for quantum physics geeks or anyone for whom the words "Schrödinger's cat" rings a bell, this is absolutely classic. The poor cat has been honoured in an epic poem! *giggle* Actually, read it anyway, even if you wouldn't know a wave function if it came up and bit you on the ass--it's damn funny.
From an electromagnetic standpoint, the structure of an atom is extremely unlikely. We learned in elementary school that the positive end of a magnet will repel the positive end of another magnet, and attract its negative end--yet somehow, the protons, all positively charged, are held together in the nucleus. That is sufficiently explained by the power of the strong force, but here's what's been annoying me: how do the electrons remain in orbit around the nucleus? Why don't the protons attract them until the atom mashes together in a giant squish of quarks and electrons? What force keeps them there? It's driving me nuts.
*spins around in circles in frustration*
By the way, for quantum physics geeks or anyone for whom the words "Schrödinger's cat" rings a bell, this is absolutely classic. The poor cat has been honoured in an epic poem! *giggle* Actually, read it anyway, even if you wouldn't know a wave function if it came up and bit you on the ass--it's damn funny.
no subject
The Electromagnetic Force!
It is attractive or repulsive, so the atoms dont become a big glob of quarks and electrons. It also only works between particles with electrical charge, in proportion to the amount of charge they posess. It is counterbalanced by the strong nuclear force that you talked about before. Oh, and the electromagnetic force falls off with distance like gravity.
I hope that cleared up your brain for you! I learned about the different forces of nature in Astronomy, not Chemistry, so it might not be exactly what you were looking for...but hey, I tried!
no subject
It's a slideshow that my Astro Professor did a long time ago.
no subject
Sorry, still confused...
no subject
The electrons themselves repel each other; they are always trying to maintain the farthest distance between themselves. This is where we get the VSPER model for atomic structures from, I believe.
The closer the electrons come to the nucleus, the less space they have to spread themselves out.
Love the poem, but I've never been much of a quantum physics nut. :)