Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: huwston on 09/01/2007 16:10:23

Title: smaller than an atom
Post by: huwston on 09/01/2007 16:10:23
why is it not possible to for something to be smaller than an atom?

in mathematics the number between 0 and 1 is infinate 0, 0.1, 0.001, 0.0001 ect, it doesnt end, so why cant a proton or a neutron be made of smaller particles?

on a programme on the discovery channel, a physicist claimed that a black hole ,when it consumes whatever it is they consume, is crushed to infinate smallness.

can anyone who has any information that could answer my quetion or anyone that can be bothered to answer my question, please shed some light in my general direction in the form of an answer, if possible.

thank you.
Title: smaller than an atom
Post by: science_guy on 09/01/2007 16:24:52
There are many particles that are smaller than an atom, the idea that nothing is smaller is an antiquated notion.

Basing my assumptions that the string theory is true, than the atoms components are the protons, neutrons, and electrons.  The protons and neutrons are in turn made of quarks (correct me if im wrong) and I believe that the next smallest are string, tiny particles that are absolutely everywhere and constitute everything.  I believe that those are plenty smaller than atoms.

black holes were once supergiant stars:  Stars that could easily be more than the mass of ten of our solar systems, or solar masses.  Because of the great amount of fusion, it explodes at the end of it's life, depleting the fusion, and eventually letting gravity take over.  Because of the huge amount of mass, gravity is super active, continually taking the empty space out from between particles, shrinking it to extremely small dimensions, or, as some might describe it, infinitely small.
Title: smaller than an atom
Post by: Soul Surfer on 09/01/2007 17:28:29
The currently observed fundamental particles like electrons and quarks have no detectable "size" at the moment and it is not expected that any practical experiment will ever be able to probe the likely limit on their size which from string theory is a lot amaller than the size of the neucleus of an atom  by a ratio greater than the nucleus of the atom is smaller than you!
Title: smaller than an atom
Post by: science_guy on 10/01/2007 15:43:25
thats very interesting... and very small
Title: smaller than an atom
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 10/01/2007 17:35:51
The currently observed fundamental particles like electrons and quarks have no detectable "size" at the moment and it is not expected that any practical experiment will ever be able to probe the likely limit on their size which from string theory is a lot amaller than the size of the neucleus of an atom  by a ratio greater than the nucleus of the atom is smaller than you!

About the size of my brain, then  [:(]
Title: smaller than an atom
Post by: science_guy on 11/01/2007 15:42:14
it's good to have a brain that size!

It means that your brain constitutes everything [;D]
Title: smaller than an atom
Post by: huwston on 11/01/2007 18:09:27
thank you.

my chemistry tutor also enlightened me earlier today on the same subject and it was precisely what you have explained.