The first gif of a real hydrogen atom. This picture was taken through a Quantum Laser Camera. (Now that would be a very nice present from Santa!) Better technology is helping scientists discover just exactly what an atom looks like. If we could slow down a Carbon atom, really slow down the atom, it might look like this: The electrons on the outside are the most captivating. The basic structure of an atom is the nucleus which holds positively charged protons and neutral neutrons inside, the negative electrons whirl around outside the nucleus in a cloud. Can you guess this element? Two protons, two neutrons and two electrons.... Some interesting facts about atoms: 1. The name atom comes from the Greek word atomos, which means uncuttable; this implies that atoms are the smallest unit and are not dividable. They are often described as the basic unit of matter. 2. The nucleus of an atom is super dense and very compressed. The electrons take up all the rest of the space whizzing and whirling around the nucleus. Some have compared the nucleus to the size of a pea surrounded by a sports arena. 3. There are over 100 different kinds of atoms. About 92 of them occur naturally, while the remainder are made in labs. The first new atom made by man was technetium, which has 43 protons. New atoms can be made by adding more protons to an atomic nucleus. However, these new atoms (elements) are unstable and decay into smaller atoms instantaneously. 4. Although atoms are the smallest unit of an element, they consist of even tinier particles called quarks and leptons. An electron is a lepton. Protons and neutrons consist of three quarks each. 5. You have around 7 billion billion billion atoms in your body, yet you replace about 98% of them every year! Is it possible I can love atoms more than anything?
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Mrs. TaylorI love science! Everything about the world is interesting and never boring. I love to study plants, animals, insects, and people. My favorite subjects are my students who are the most unique organisms on the planet! Categories |