Random thought

Ok, people some people might have to read slowly. I may word this weirdly considering its hard to word. Try to answer question one and two at the bottom of the page.

I was thinking about amoebas, and I wondered how small an amoebas amoeba would be. For example, I'll draw you what I'm thinking.

_______
/.............\
/...............\
/....0......0....\
|...................|
|...................|
|.....\____/....|
|...................|
|...................|
|...................|
|...................|
|...................|
|...................|
|...................|
\................./

Pretend that is what an amoeba would look like under a microscope.

So, an amoeba's amoeba would have to be this small:

.

(Yes I know it's not to scale but pretend)

What if we looked at that amoeba under an even more powerful microscope, let's say it looks like this:


??????????
?..............?
?................?
?....8.......8...?
?..................?
?......____.....?
?...../____\....?
?..................?
?..................?
?..................?
?..................?
?................?
??????????

How small would ITS amoeba be?

.

That small.

We could go forever, so lets leave it at that.

Q#1: So then how is, for example, a plate touching the surface of a table when the possibilities of how close it can be to the table are infinite?

But we all know the plate is touching the table, but how can that be?

We could also say this for other things, like how large an object can get. Or even things like how loud, soft, slow, fast, evil, happy, funny, tasty, things are and the list goes on.

Soooo,

Q#2: Are all options endless?

The plate isn't touching the table. The atoms in the table are repulsing the atoms in the plate. So they are close together, but not touching.


I don't quite understand your 2nd question.

Originally Posted by GDwarf

The plate isn't touching the table. The atoms in the table are repulsing the atoms in the plate. So they are close together, but not touching.

Wait...what?

Atoms in the table are pushing back the atoms in the plate. They are close but not touching. I think thats what he means.

So you mean like magnetism? Then what if our hand is on the table? How do we feel it? How do we feel it, that is, if its just floating atop the table.

You cant feel atoms, they are one of the smallest things in the universe. Thet are soo small that you can't feel them. Even though theres millions/trillions of them your hand cant feel the contact between the atoms and your hand.

Originally Posted by Zelda Ninja

You cant feel atoms, they are one of the smallest things in the universe. Thet are soo small that you can't feel them. Even though theres millions/trillions of them your hand cant feel the contact between the atoms and your hand.

You do realise that your entire hand consists out of atoms, don't you? Or did you mean the atoms of your hand and the table atoms?

Also isn't it more like hot and cold, you can already feel it from a distance because of what it radiates. In this case the distance is incredibly small.

Your hand is made of CELLS not atoms. Cells live atoms do not. Atoms are made from particals and energy, your hands' CELLS are made of tissue.

Originally Posted by Zelda Ninja

Your hand is made of CELLS not atoms. Cells live atoms do not. Atoms are made from particals and energy, your hands' CELLS are made of tissue.

...........

You want to discuss this topic without actually knowing the principle behind the atom?! An atom is the smallest form of matter, all matter exists out of atoms.

So we have atoms, the most fundamental ‘indivisible’ form of matter, which combine to form molecules. Elements are specific atoms, with distinctive properties. So things like hydrogen, and oxygen are specific elements. The atoms of the these elements combine to form molecules of water. An atom is so small that a single drop of water contains more than a million million billion atoms.

Originally Posted by Pie_Dictator

So you mean like magnetism? Then what if our hand is on the table? How do we feel it? How do we feel it, that is, if its just floating atop the table.

It's called an electrostatic force; yeah, pretty similar to magnetism.

There's no direct physical contact at the atomic level, but the atoms are still all batting against eachother and exerting a force on eachother. Think about if you have two magnets, they can move eachother without touching eachother right? Same thing.

Only with electrons, their charges are much greater relative to their size. So they can affect eachother whilst being nowhere near eachother. That's the reason why they never get to touch eachother.

Click this link I posted below, it shows a scale model of a hydrogen atom (one proton with an orbiting electron), notice how much space there is between them? Everything you see, including your own body, is almost entirely empty space.

Hydrogen Atom Scale Model

Originally Posted by Nictel

...........

You want to discuss this topic without actually knowing the principle behind the atom?! An atom is the smallest form of matter, all matter exists out of atoms.

So we have atoms, the most fundamental ‘indivisible’ form of matter, which combine to form molecules. Elements are specific atoms, with distinctive properties. So things like hydrogen, and oxygen are specific elements. The atoms of the these elements combine to form molecules of water. An atom is so small that a single drop of water contains more than a million million billion atoms.

This is the 21st century man, atoms aren't fundamental particles. :p

Atoms are made up of leptons (electron), and baryons (proton, neutron) which are in turn made up of quarks.

Originally Posted by Pie_Dictator

So you mean like magnetism? Then what if our hand is on the table? How do we feel it? How do we feel it, that is, if its just floating atop the table.

Take two magnets, place them so that they have the same poles facing each other. Now, you can feel them pushing against each other, even though they aren't touching.

It's the same thing with your hand and the table, but the force is much stronger.

Originally Posted by Zelda Ninja

You cant feel atoms, they are one of the smallest things in the universe. Thet are soo small that you can't feel them. Even though theres millions/trillions of them your hand cant feel the contact between the atoms and your hand.

Well, it can, actually, that's why you can feel a table. Now, can you feel a single atom? No, nerves aren't built for that. But you can still feel atoms.

Originally Posted by T-Nemesis

This is the 21st century man, atoms aren't fundamental particles. :p

Atoms are made up of leptons (electron), and baryons (proton, neutron) which are in turn made up of quarks.

Man where have you been?! It's 2008! What about those Preons?
(Edit: I never had quarks at school, I don't think they were generally known back then.)

Originally Posted by Pie_Dictator

Ok, people some people might have to read slowly. I may word this weirdly considering its hard to word. Try to answer question one and two at the bottom of the page.

I was thinking about amoebas, and I wondered how small an amoebas amoeba would be. For example, I'll draw you what I'm thinking.

_______
/.............\
/...............\
/....0......0....\
|...................|
|...................|
|.....\____/....|
|...................|
|...................|
|...................|
|...................|
|...................|
|...................|
|...................|
\................./

Pretend that is what an amoeba would look like under a microscope.

So, an amoeba's amoeba would have to be this small:

.

(Yes I know it's not to scale but pretend)

What if we looked at that amoeba under an even more powerful microscope, let's say it looks like this:


??????????
?..............?
?................?
?....8.......8...?
?..................?
?......____.....?
?...../____\....?
?..................?
?..................?
?..................?
?..................?
?................?
??????????

How small would ITS amoeba be?

.

That small.

We could go forever, so lets leave it at that.

Q#1: So then how is, for example, a plate touching the surface of a table when the possibilities of how close it can be to the table are infinite?

But we all know the plate is touching the table, but how can that be?

We could also say this for other things, like how large an object can get. Or even things like how loud, soft, slow, fast, evil, happy, funny, tasty, things are and the list goes on.

Soooo,

Q#2: Are all options endless?

It would end, because eventually it would be to small to be a living organism thus not an amoeba just a few atoms.

Originally Posted by Zelda Ninja

Your hand is made of CELLS not atoms. Cells live atoms do not. Atoms are made from particals and energy, your hands' CELLS are made of tissue.

...and cells are made out of proteins, which are made out of amino acids, which are made out of molecules, which are made out of...yes, atoms, which are made out of protons, electrons, and neutrons, etc.

Isn't an amoeba a single-celled organism? Ergo, it can't have another amoeba because then it would be a multi-celled organism. At least, that's what I'm thinking.

As for the plate/table thing. I'm pretty sure it's been cleared up. Because, no two things can actually completely touch. Since like everyone said, atoms are the smallest bit of matter, and since all atoms have Protons (+charged) subatomic particles in their nucleus, they can never touch due to magnetic principles.

Ya...