Ten Little Chances to be Free (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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.