[neilep (OP)]

Dear Atomologoists,

As a sheepy I of course luff atoms. Atoms are my all time favourite things that are well small and are major constituents of lots of things.
They are so small than not even with my 10x magnifying glass can I see them..although once I thought I did see one move..I'm sure of it because I had to squint very hard.

Look here's one:

 [ Invalid Attachment ]
An Atom Earlier Today

Atoms are made from even smaller things called Electrons (which are really little fairies )..and they fly around a bunch of protons (which is really a ball of candyfloss/cotton-candy)...I know this to be true because someone told me ages ago.

What I really want to know is...before an atom gets made doesn't the electrons and protons have to find a way to join together ?..How does an atom get made ?  Is there at any one time a bunch of electron fairies and proton candyfloss balls flying about all by themselves ?


whajafink ?





Hugs & shmishes


mwah mwah mwah !




Neil
Male Cats Are Called A-Tom
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Soul Surfer]

When things are very hot like inside the the sun the electrons are flying around so fast that they can't join up with the nucleii and they form a plasma (the fourth state of matter) as things cool down a bit the electrond just stick to the nucleii but they are so lively that they tend to buzz around outside.  This is because like faries they are very light and you cant be very sure where they are.  The nucleii are not like candy floss they are pretty hard and crunchy and the protons and neutrons are stuck together with velcro.

[lyner]

Would it not be better to say that nuclei are made when protons, neutrons and other nuclei fuse together under very extreme conditions?  Electrons are so energetic under these conditions that they can't stay bound to any (positively charged) nuclei. But, once the conditions cool down, these nuclei attract and hold on to enough electrons to make them neutral.

[neilep (OP)]

When things are very hot like inside the the sun the electrons are flying around so fast that they can't join up with the nucleii and they form a plasma (the fourth state of matter) as things cool down a bit the electrond just stick to the nucleii but they are so lively that they tend to buzz around outside.  This is because like faries they are very light and you cant be very sure where they are.  The nucleii are not like candy floss they are pretty hard and crunchy and the protons and neutrons are stuck together with velcro.

Thank ewe very much Ian

Perhaps the nuclei is more akin to honeycomb or even a nougat centre then  []

In all seriousness then, is it then impossible for the constituent elements of an atom to exist outside the conditions that dwell inside a star ?

You mention that Plasma is the fourth state of matter, would I be displaying my usual lack of enlightenment then, that this does or does not mean that the Plasma in my TV screen is comprised only of electrons only ?. I know that my Plasma TV gets warm but not that hot !

[neilep (OP)]

Would it not be better to say that nuclei are made when protons, neutrons and other nuclei fuse together under very extreme conditions?  Electrons are so energetic under these conditions that they can't stay bound to any (positively charged) nuclei. But, once the conditions cool down, these nuclei attract and hold on to enough electrons to make them neutral.

Thank you sophiecentaur. So you then agree that it's only within a star that one would find the ingredients of atoms flying about separately in nature ?

[Soul Surfer]

A plasma occurs when you have atoms with electrons stripped from them and free electrons moving about  and the whole mess is essentially neutral.  they are caused by high temperatures and/or high electrical and magnetic fields