Difference between revisions of "Intuitively understanding the size of an atom"
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+ | [[File:Atom hair soccer en 3.png|thumb|480px|Pluck yourself a Hair and look at it. Imagine a magnified model of the torn of end was built. Would be interesting – wouldn't it? This model was buried halfway such that it runs vertically into ground at the sidelines and that it reaches twenty-five meters of dome-height at the center of the play-field. When you stand on this soccer field in front of the fractured surface and you hold a real hair against tremendous model then you see: The model-atoms of the giant hair have the diameter of a real hair.]] | ||
If you build a humongous model of a human hair with a diameter equivalent to the width of a soccer field (~50m), <br> | If you build a humongous model of a human hair with a diameter equivalent to the width of a soccer field (~50m), <br> | ||
− | then the model carbon atoms in that humongous model of a human are pretty exactly the size of a human hair (~0.1mm). | + | then the model carbon atoms in that humongous model of a human are pretty much exactly the size of a human hair (~0.1mm). |
The carbon atoms in the real hair (and everywhere else) are about ~0.2nm in diameter. | The carbon atoms in the real hair (and everywhere else) are about ~0.2nm in diameter. | ||
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Unlike other comparisons this for once works because <br> | Unlike other comparisons this for once works because <br> | ||
− | the size of a hair and the size of a | + | the size of a hair and the size of a soccer-field both <br> |
− | still fall into the range of our everyday | + | still fall into the range of our everyday human experience. |
== What not to do == | == What not to do == | ||
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The comparison becomes completely useless as a means for intuitive understanding. | The comparison becomes completely useless as a means for intuitive understanding. | ||
− | Also choose one magnification level and stick with it for as much as possible. | + | Also choose one magnification level and stick with it for as much as possible. <br> |
Do not jump around with magnification levels wildly. | Do not jump around with magnification levels wildly. | ||
Latest revision as of 20:46, 20 April 2024
If you build a humongous model of a human hair with a diameter equivalent to the width of a soccer field (~50m),
then the model carbon atoms in that humongous model of a human are pretty much exactly the size of a human hair (~0.1mm).
The carbon atoms in the real hair (and everywhere else) are about ~0.2nm in diameter.
It's the same ratio!
- 50m / 0.1mm = 500 000
- 0.1mm / 0.2nm = 500 000
See?
Why this works
Unlike other comparisons this for once works because
the size of a hair and the size of a soccer-field both
still fall into the range of our everyday human experience.
What not to do
Shift one side of the comparison a bit (like making model atoms the size of marbles ~1cm) and
the other side falls way out of human everyday experience (model hair 5km diameter).
The comparison becomes completely useless as a means for intuitive understanding.
Also choose one magnification level and stick with it for as much as possible.
Do not jump around with magnification levels wildly.