Linked Questions
39 questions linked to/from Why doesn't matter pass through other matter if atoms are 99.999% empty space?
15
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If atoms are mostly vacuum, why are things so rigid around us? [duplicate]
I can't say confidently that an atom is mostly vacuum, but I am somewhat sure of it because electrons and nucleons cover little space, and everything other than these elementary particles in an atom ...
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3
answers
527
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If there are huge gaps between atoms relatively to their size, why can we touch things? [duplicate]
Most of the volume of an object actually consists of empty space rather than molecules. So why don’t solid objects move through each other?
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1
answer
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Why can't we run through walls like Harry Potter? [duplicate]
This is a very simple and stupid question but ever since I watched the first Harry Potter and saw Harry and his friends run through a wall at King's Cross Station I have wondered what keeps us from ...
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2
answers
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Why don't we fall through a chair when sitting? [duplicate]
I'm a high school drop out so excuse my grammar. I have done extensive reading in Astronomy and Cosmology, and came across this article With the title "Physicist Are Dumbfounded why we don't fall ...
2
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0
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283
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If 99% of an atom empty, and our body is made of atoms, does that mean 99% of our body is empty? [duplicate]
If 99% of an atom empty, and if we say that our body is made of atoms stacked together, then why is our body a solid object, rather than 99% hollow.
I have one probable answer that I think might be ...
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1
answer
156
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Are we all vacuum? [duplicate]
In this part [2:25 - 3:00] of the lecture, the professor Walter Lewin says that the human body is nothing but vacuum but he did not give a proof of his sayings. Could anybody please provide some ...
- 103
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1
answer
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Free space problem in matter [duplicate]
We know that atom is ninety nine percent empty and all matter is made up of matter then why matter is mostly empty ?
0
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1
answer
90
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Why not say a scalar potential as a function representing the matter itself? [duplicate]
[Question] Why not say a scalar potential as a function representing the matter itself?
At first glance, this idea seems to make the duality, which is the biggest difficulty in understanding quantum ...
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0
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51
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Isn't this Wired chemist totally wrong about why we can touch things? [duplicate]
The video: https://youtu.be/2xVBAqybA_8?t=185
She got the question: "if atoms are primarily composed of empty space, why can't you pass your hand through a solid object?"
Her answer is: ...
anon
140
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5
answers
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What does it mean for two objects to "touch"?
If you've ever been annoyingly poked by a geek, you might be familiar with the semi-nerdy obnoxious response of
"I'm not actually touching you! The electrons in the atoms of my
skin are just ...
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31
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12
answers
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Why is everything not invisible if 99% space is empty?
If every object is $99$% empty space, how is reflection possible? Why doesn't light just pass through?
Also light passes as a straight line, doesn't it? The wave nature doesn't say anything about its ...
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6
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If particles are points, then aren't atoms empty space?
Zero dimensional points do not take up space, so then wouldn't everything in the universe be literally empty? Or is there something that I'm missing?
user86072
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5
answers
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Why is the nucleus so small and why is the atom 99.999% empty space?
A nucleus consists of protons and neutrons. Both are extremely heavy compared to electrons. Then how come they are contained within an extremely tiny space? And why does the atom consist of 99.999% ...
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15
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4
answers
3k
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Is it true that the interior of an atom is mostly vacuum or empty space?
You often see it written or hear it said that the interior of atoms is mostly empty.
This is an attempt to convey something about the nature of atoms to a non-expert audience. But is it right? Isn't ...
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2
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3
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Why is every particle a sphere?
I was wondering why is everything in this universe, I mean atoms and well quarks and photons and what not some form of sphere.
Is there any exploitation to the sphere being perfect and only thing for ...
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3
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3
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Protons and Electrons Occupying the Same Space
When it comes to atoms electrons can't fall into the nucleus, which besides the off hand uncertainty explanation, I'm not sure which force prevents them from falling into the nucleus. I thought I ...
user24082
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1
answer
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If atoms are mostly empty space, why doesn't light pass through everything?
Atoms are mostly empty space, and although I now understand why matter doesn't pass through other matter, why don't photons pass through the empty space of the atoms? Is it the same sort of idea as ...
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2
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On the collision of two electrons in a particle accelerator
The coulombic force between two charges is
$$
F = \frac{k q_{1} q_{2}}{r^{2}}
$$
For two negative charges this will be repulsive. From the equation, as $r$ tends to zero the force approaches infinity....
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4
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In truth, only atoms and the void
I have a question about this motto used by Sean Carroll in his blog:
In truth, only atoms and the void.
Can you explain what this sentence means? My interpretation is that the sentence does not ...
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3
answers
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Is it possible to use force to reduce the empty space in an atom?
Atoms are mostly empty space (at least from what I've heard) so is it technically possible to shrink the space between the electrons and the nucleus of an atom?
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1
answer
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Where does the energy within atoms come from?
Most kinds of energy I know about involve a finite measurement and are transferred. In other words, energy in the universe is finite and is not lost or gained but only transferred through space one ...
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1
answer
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How much space does an atom occupy? [closed]
So my stupid question is: we know that in the classical model of a atom there is a nucleus at the middle and electron revolving around it in orbits numbered from 0 to infinity. So according to this an ...
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2
answers
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How can 0-dimensional particles or 1-dimensional strings be 3D matter? [closed]
According to the latest information we got
String theory is a theoretical framework in which the point-like
particles of particle physics are replaced by one-dimensional objects
called strings....
- 206
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2
answers
324
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How does weight add up to press on things?
I think I understand how pressure works with gases. More molecules bouncing around -> more random impacts -> stronger force.
But I realized to my embarrassment that I don't understand how solid ...
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3
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303
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How does the Earth bring down a falling object's velocity to zero on contact?
How does the earth bring down a falling object's velocity to zero on contact?
If the normal force on an object from a horizontal surface is equal to the weight of the object, the object could never ...
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2
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277
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Two stones (bosons) in one place
A macroscopic object (let's call it "stone") may incidentally be a boson, right?
But identical bosons are "allowed" to have the same quantum state.
From this I conclude that two identical stones may ...
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3
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837
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What would the properties of a truly solid object be? [closed]
As most people who have done any amount of physics know, no object is truly solid; go small enough and you will find vast amounts of space containing atoms, electrons, etc, all relatively enormous ...
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1
answer
577
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Do virtual particles pop in and out of existence in the space just outside the nucleus? [duplicate]
This question is similar to one asked if virtual electrons exist outside the nucleus, but please note, my question says virtual particles. It is not a duplicate. I read so often that matter is mostly ...
user86411
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2
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261
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Can you collide with dark matter?
Assuming dark matter has space and weight, can dark matter collide with others planet? If unlike normal matter, dark matter repels matter, Will it makes dark matter impossible to collide with normal ...
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Why are atoms not destroyed when dropped?
I made the following thought experiment: Dropping a gold ring on a wooden table.
It drops, hits the table, bounces off, hits again with less velocity and so on until it finally rests.
Now consider an ...
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Interpretation of Rutherfords gold foil experiment with electrons
When Geiger and Marsden shot alpha particles at their metal foils, they noticed only a tiny fraction of the alpha particles were deflected by more than 90°. Most just flew straight through the foil. ...
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2
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What is the largest scale to where we have verifiably observed quantum mechanical effects?
Quantum mechanical effect such as quantum mechanical tunneling, quantum mechanical confinement, quantum entanglement, or any other quantum mechanical effect to which I may not be aware, what is the ...
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2
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406
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Why are atoms empty so much?
To clarify: My question is not Why are atoms empty?, my question is Why are they empty so much?
The classical orbit of an atom, roundly speaking, is where the probability to find an electron is ...
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1
answer
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Why doesnt my fist go through the wall? [duplicate]
When I punch a wall, Why doesnt my fist go through instead of staying at rest on the wall? What is cancelling out the force of my punch?
user243275
0
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2
answers
389
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How can we see through our atmosphere [duplicate]
Apologies for the simpleton question, but how exactly can we see objects around us if our atmosphere is made up of a vast amount of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and myriad other such atoms and ...
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1
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229
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Why can gases pass through each other while solids cannot?
Solids cannot (generally speaking) pass through each other, while gases can. The first answer to this question points to the electromagnetic force and the Pauli Exclusion Principle as the reasons that ...
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1
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The math to come to this conclusion? If we lost all the dead space inside our atoms, we would each be able to fit into a particle of lead dust [duplicate]
I found this on The particle physics of you on Symmetry Magazine:
The size of an atom is governed by the average location of its electrons. Nuclei are around 100,000 times smaller than the atoms ...
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0
answers
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Is it degeneracy pressure rather than electrostatic repulsion that stops us falling through the floor? [duplicate]
From Wikipedia: Degeneracy Pressure
Freeman Dyson showed that the imperviousness of solid matter is due to quantum degeneracy pressure rather than electrostatic repulsion as had been previously ...
user81619
0
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1
answer
94
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proton magnetism and repulsion [closed]
I am reading that it is proton magnetism that keeps us from falling through a bed if we land on it- That is to say that the proton magnetism in the bed repulses the protons in us, our clothes etc. If ...
