Matter in our world is composed of atoms. Every atom includes electrons and a nucleus, where protons and neutrons reside. We all know atoms are very small – but how small exactly?

Matter in our world is composed of atoms. Every atom includes electrons and a nucleus, where protons and neutrons reside. We all know atoms are very small – but how small exactly?

One possible answer to this question is an exact measurement: What is the volume of the atom, what is the density of the nucleus, etc. But the size is so tiny that it’s difficult to realize based on the numbers alone.

To help us grasp the scales we’re talking about, Jonathan Bergman produced the next video, where he tries to visualize just how small atoms are and how difficult it is to perceive them. 

Yaron Gross

Doctoral student, Department of Condensed Matter Physics

Weizmann Institute of Science

 


 

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