One of the most amazing facts ever - sounds like BS

SexyGreyFox · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:38

This is from a BBC series called The Story Of Science which I was watching today and I just had to share it.
So scientists what is your take on this?
Sounds unbelievable.

PhillyDee · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:41

Except its entirely impossible.

Remember that atoms are essentially empty space, with tiny tiny tiny tiny (x10000) particles in the middle.

RDM · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:41

It is all that space in between atoms.

doiks14 · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:42

I am no scientist, but it kinda made me giggle... I don't understand how it can be possible, is this in BBC iPlayer? might watch the whole thing... It might be able to convince me more.

The_TailGunner · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:43

perfectly true. the space between the nucleus and electrons of an atom is vacuum, and its a pretty big space all things considered.

Ghosteh · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:44

I suppose it is possible if you remove all the space between the nuclei and electrons in atoms, then the the space between atoms in molecules etc.

TheCenturion · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:45

It's not impossible by any means. Remember, the WHOLE universe was the size of a full stop once, that kind of compression puts 7zip to shame.

Kearney_1988 · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:45

http://www.phrenopolis.com/perspective/atom/

Shows the scale pretty well, its pretty crazy when you think about it

Amp34 · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:46

Nope, sounds about right. The only way we survive and hold together is due to forces holding the electrons neutrons and protons (and smaller particles) together. Covalent bonding etc.

I thought he was going to start talking about glass actually being a liquid for a second. The theory is that glass actually flows, very slowly, although there is a lot of discussion against this. However we have plastic deformation of solid rock under our feet all the time as only a very small part of the earth is actually moltern.

Greenlizard0 · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:46

Probably right as a 'space' exercise. Atoms themselves are almost nothing, empty space.

Tefal · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:46

Here's another cool fact along a similar line.

1 teaspoon (5ml) of material from a neutron star would have 900 times the mass of a the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Also if you dropped an object from one meter above a neutron star it would hit the surface in a microsecond and be travelling at 7.2 million kilometers per hour.

PhillyDee · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:50

Amp34 said:
Nope, sounds about right. The only way we survive and hold together is due to forces holding the electrons neutrons and protons (and smaller particles) together. Covalent bonding etc.

I thought he was going to start talking about glass actually being a liquid for a second. The theory is that glass actually flows, very slowly, although there is a lot of discussion against this. However we have plastic deformation of solid rock under our feet all the time as only a very small part of the earth is actually moltern.

I am surprised there has been no experiments to confirm or deny this. Especially with the equipment we have!

TheCenturion · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:52

Tefal said:
Here's another cool fact along a similar line.

1 teaspoon (5ml) of material from a neutron star would have 900 times the mass of a the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Also if you dropped an object from one meter above a neutron star it would hit the surface in a microsecond and be travelling at 7.2 million kilometers per hour.

Another cool, yet more nerdy fact: one mole of a substance contains 6x10^23 molecules.

That means 12g of carbon has 6x10^23 carbon molecules

Mailman86 · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:52

Tefal said:
1 teaspoon (5ml) of material from a neutron star would have 900 times the mass of a the Great Pyramid of Giza..

Surely a teaspoon would break under all that weight. There's no way anyone could have tested that. I call bs.

Tefal · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:53

good ol' Avogadro

Mailman86 said:
Surely a teaspoon would break under all that weight. There's no way anyone could have tested that. I call bs.

But if you did it in space there would be hardly any weight!

TheCenturion · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:53

Mailman86 said:
Surely a teaspoon would break under all that weight. There's no way anyone could have tested that. I call bs.

I assume you're not being serious?

davedudes · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:56

Mailman86 said:
Surely a teaspoon would break under all that weight. There's no way anyone could have tested that. I call bs.

Use your imagination

Ghosteh · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:56

Kearney_1988 said:
http://www.phrenopolis.com/perspective/atom/

Shows the scale pretty well, its pretty crazy when you think about it

http://www.phrenopolis.com/perspective/solarsystem/

I like how big the Hydrogen one is, the Solar System page is about 1/2 a mile wide, were the Hydrogen is 11 miles wide. Crazy to think how much space there is in an Atom.

Mailman86 · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:58

It's not really a fact if no one has proven it. Not really much of a fact thread is this!

Mailman86 · 12 Jul 2010 at 19:59

davedudes said:
Use your imagination

Well we might as well say Unicorns are real then if we are using that for the basis of this thread.