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Individual atoms are much smaller than the wavelength of visible light. That does indeed make individual atoms invisible
Quote from: Kryptid on 23/09/2017 05:35:24Individual atoms are much smaller than the wavelength of visible light. That does indeed make individual atoms invisibleA single atom would be visible if it was lit well enough.
A single atom would be visible if it was lit well enough.
Quote from: Bored chemist on 23/09/2017 14:11:11A single atom would be visible if it was lit well enough.Really? Interesting. What is the reasoning?
Quote from: Kryptid on 23/09/2017 16:02:29Quote from: Bored chemist on 23/09/2017 14:11:11A single atom would be visible if it was lit well enough.Really? Interesting. What is the reasoning?Why would it not be visible?It would scatter light towards your eye.
Quote from: Bored chemist on 23/09/2017 14:11:11Quote from: Kryptid on 23/09/2017 05:35:24Individual atoms are much smaller than the wavelength of visible light. That does indeed make individual atoms invisibleA single atom would be visible if it was lit well enough.No it would not because it is see through and invisible. It does not have the density of a molecule.
Quote from: Bored chemist on 23/09/2017 20:15:10Quote from: Kryptid on 23/09/2017 16:02:29Quote from: Bored chemist on 23/09/2017 14:11:11A single atom would be visible if it was lit well enough.Really? Interesting. What is the reasoning?Why would it not be visible?It would scatter light towards your eye.Would this be true of all visible wavelengths or only particular ones? Would some be more strongly reflected than others? Could even a single proton be visible this way?
Quote from: Bored chemist on Today at 14:11:11A single atom would be visible if it was lit well enough.Really? Interesting. What is the reasoning?
Quote from: Kryptid on 23/09/2017 20:17:36Quote from: Bored chemist on 23/09/2017 20:15:10Quote from: Kryptid on 23/09/2017 16:02:29Quote from: Bored chemist on 23/09/2017 14:11:11A single atom would be visible if it was lit well enough.Really? Interesting. What is the reasoning?Why would it not be visible?It would scatter light towards your eye.Would this be true of all visible wavelengths or only particular ones? Would some be more strongly reflected than others? Could even a single proton be visible this way?Scattering is strongly wavelength dependent; it's why the sky is blue.In principle, yes a single proton should be visible.
Quote from: Kryptid on 23/09/2017 16:02:29Quote from: Bored chemist on Today at 14:11:11A single atom would be visible if it was lit well enough.Really? Interesting. What is the reasoning?Some of the most accurate clocks built by humans have been based on light emitted by a single atom/ion (mercury and aluminium have been tested).Of course, the light is measured by instruments rather than by the human eye - especially since the light is ultraviolet.See: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2010/02/nists-second-quantum-logic-clock-based-aluminum-ion-now-worlds-most-precise
Well interestingly enough that still does not answer why we cant see air and can see right through air . Obviously in the air there is lots of protons but strangely enough we do not see any visible light off them. Neither does a detector , detect visible light from air. So either air is not made of atoms or the ground is actually transparent and see through but the density of molecules captures radiation to be observed as visible light?
Quote from: Thebox on 23/09/2017 20:58:26Well interestingly enough that still does not answer why we cant see air and can see right through air . Obviously in the air there is lots of protons but strangely enough we do not see any visible light off them. Neither does a detector , detect visible light from air. So either air is not made of atoms or the ground is actually transparent and see through but the density of molecules captures radiation to be observed as visible light?It's all down to wavelengths. Different materials refract and absorb different wavelengths. That's already been said.
Well interestingly enough that still does not answer why we cant see air and can see right through air .
I am right in thinking we do not detect any light from air?
Quote from: Thebox on 23/09/2017 20:58:26Well interestingly enough that still does not answer why we cant see air and can see right through air .The sky is blue; the sunset is red, and you are wrong.
Quote from: Thebox on 23/09/2017 21:00:15Quote from: evan_au on 23/09/2017 20:41:10Quote from: Kryptid on 23/09/2017 16:02:29Quote from: Bored chemist on Today at 14:11:11A single atom would be visible if it was lit well enough.Really? Interesting. What is the reasoning?Some of the most accurate clocks built by humans have been based on light emitted by a single atom/ion (mercury and aluminium have been tested).Of course, the light is measured by instruments rather than by the human eye - especially since the light is ultraviolet.See: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2010/02/nists-second-quantum-logic-clock-based-aluminum-ion-now-worlds-most-preciseI am right in thinking we do not detect any light from air? No.The sky is blue.
Quote from: evan_au on 23/09/2017 20:41:10Quote from: Kryptid on 23/09/2017 16:02:29Quote from: Bored chemist on Today at 14:11:11A single atom would be visible if it was lit well enough.Really? Interesting. What is the reasoning?Some of the most accurate clocks built by humans have been based on light emitted by a single atom/ion (mercury and aluminium have been tested).Of course, the light is measured by instruments rather than by the human eye - especially since the light is ultraviolet.See: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2010/02/nists-second-quantum-logic-clock-based-aluminum-ion-now-worlds-most-preciseI am right in thinking we do not detect any light from air?