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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Can we "see" a proton?
« on: 17/01/2011 10:56:45 »
Hey.
A double question...
From what I understand, we "see" something because light, or a photon, hits an electron in an object, thus exciting it to a higher orbit, and when the electron "falls down" it gives away a photon that we then interpret.
What if we shoot photons at a single proton, or neutron? Will they bounce off of it, or what happens then?
Secondly, what if you shoot a single photon at, for example, an uranium atom that has lots of electrons and lots of shells. What if the photon (being so fast) does not excite the electron in the outmost shell, but hits one "further in". Would that turn the photon into some sort of pinball frenzy in there, or is it always the outmost electron that is affected. If so, why?
A double question...
From what I understand, we "see" something because light, or a photon, hits an electron in an object, thus exciting it to a higher orbit, and when the electron "falls down" it gives away a photon that we then interpret.
What if we shoot photons at a single proton, or neutron? Will they bounce off of it, or what happens then?
Secondly, what if you shoot a single photon at, for example, an uranium atom that has lots of electrons and lots of shells. What if the photon (being so fast) does not excite the electron in the outmost shell, but hits one "further in". Would that turn the photon into some sort of pinball frenzy in there, or is it always the outmost electron that is affected. If so, why?