What Really Makes an atom?

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   Prodioposted 10 years ago

   I know how you would answer this:-
   
   "Hey Prodio! dude, haven't you really been to a high school really?", or, a more lame one - "Dude, haven't you heard of subatomic particles?".
   
   
   Well, I know of these things. But they are not the end of the story- but rather, they are the beginning. What makes up a subatomic particle - what 'material' specifically? And more importantly - what makes the 'shell' of an atom - what material houses all these subatomic particles?
   
   
   
   
   "As a man who has devoted his whole life to the most clear headed science, to the study of matter, I can tell you as a result of my research about atoms this much: There is no matter as such. All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together. We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind. This mind is the matrix of all matter."
   
   [Max Planck, German physicist and founder of quantum theory, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1918.]
   
   Das Wesen der Materie [The Nature of Matter], speech at Florence, Italy (1944)

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      Rad Manposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      "we must assume" is always the comment made when science and questions stop. Because we feel we have the answer.
      
      We must assume the earth is flat…
      We must assume the earth is the centre of the universe…
      We must assume the math behind our solar system is beyond our comprehension.
      We must assume...

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         Prodioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         ..that all our assumptions are wrong...

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            Righteous Atheistposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Cool. God = ASSUMPTION. LOL

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               Prodioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               Thanks for this assumption.

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            Rad Manposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Yes, until they are proven to be right.

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               aka-djposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               Isn't supposed to be assume that it's correct first, and falsifiable. If it's beyond being proven wrong, it must be right?

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                  Rad Manposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  No, you are supposed to try to prove things wrong, assume you can find a flaw and look for it.

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      EncephaloiDeadposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Please correct me if I'm wrong, but if you know that's how folks will respond, doesn't that imply those words were spoken to you before on at least one occasion?
      
      Not trying to offend or anything, but that's not exactly the best way to ask a question.
      
      
      
      Hold the phone here, if you already know of these things, why would you start a thread with a question in the title, other than if you were starting the thread to enlighten us on "What Really Makes an atom?"
      
      So, which is it?
      
      
      
      Thank you for the Max Planck quote. That quote has been aligned with Planck's religious views, hence I'll provide some background information in that regard.
      
      Planck regarded the scientist as a man of imagination and faith, "faith" interpreted as being similar to "having a working hypothesis".
      
      He also said: "Both Religion and science require a belief in God."
      
      Planck was well known to criticize atheism and how they focused on the derision of religious symbolism, yet he had this to say:
      
      Planck wrote, "...'to believe' means 'to recognize as a truth,' and the knowledge of nature, continually advancing on incontestably safe tracks, has made it utterly impossible for a person possessing some training in natural science to recognize as founded on truth the many reports of extraordinary occurrences contradicting the laws of nature, of miracles which are still commonly regarded as essential supports and confirmations of religious doctrines, and which formerly used to be accepted as facts pure and simple, without doubt or criticism. The belief in miracles must retreat step by step before relentlessly and reliably progressing science and we cannot doubt that sooner or later it must vanish completely."
      
      But, then we also find a skeleton in the closet:
      
      Later in life, Planck's views on God were that of a deist. For example, six months before his death a rumour started that Planck had converted to Catholicism, but when questioned what had brought him to make this step, he declared that, although he had always been deeply religious, he did not believe "in a personal God, let alone a Christian God."
      
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Planck#Religious_views
      
      
      So, considering the Max Planck quote really doesn't explain very much, why not just answer those questions in your own words? You did in fact say, "I know of these things", so it should be no problem to enlighten us with your genius.

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         Prodioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         So you don't like anything that doesn't fit you? hahaha

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   Motown2Chitownposted 10 years ago

   A couple of atoms with poor judgment and a bottle of wine.  Same thing that makes most people?

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      Prodioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      ya.. I mean ...they do get wine, - then get some more of that ...win nobel prizes make a great life and then tell others that they should keep off doing what they did
      
      Gotch-ya!

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   Zelkiiroposted 10 years ago

   Energy (a lot of it, to be precise) comprises matter. Subatomic particles are solidified bits of energy that happen to fit together to make atoms, and so on.
   
   Haven't you been to high school?

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      Prodioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      ..i mean... OP said.. and then
      
      
      
      been to a lowly school, then elevated... keeping up.

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         olypeninsulaguyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Elevated to what? Brainwashing?

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      Prodioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      "Subatomic particles are solidified bits of energy"
      
      
      
      What on earth does that 'solidified' mean?

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         olypeninsulaguyposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Go asked your poorly educated pastor. He'll tell you some BS that you'll believe without question.

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            Prodioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            That's a very good answer indeed.

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      aka-djposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I like this answer.
      Where did the energy come from in the first place?
      
      High school never told me that!

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         Righteous Atheistposted 10 years agoin reply to this

         You didn't learn about the big bang? Did you go to church school by any chance?

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            aka-djposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            Is that your answer?
            Oh, wait, it finishes with one of these "?".
            Hey, that's a question!
            Hang on, you were supposed to answer my question.

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               Righteous Atheistposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               Sorry if you don't understand the answer. Church school then?

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            aka-djposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            OH, OK. You got me.
            Yes I learned about the BB.
            
            Tell me. How is it that you believe in an eternal universe, and then ask me about the BB?
            The BB signifies (one theory) of how it all STARTED, no? Maybe I wasn't listening whet that part was being explained. Or was it?
            
            PS. Never went to religious school.

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               Righteous Atheistposted 10 years agoin reply to this

               Sorry you don't understand - stick with "goddunit," why don't you?
               
               I thought you denied all science anyway. What are you asking science questions for if you reject all science?

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                  aka-djposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                  You are a politician, for sure. I thought that of you in your past life, as Mk.
                  This is yet another post that confirms it.

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                     Righteous Atheistposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                     It is a simple enough question, AKA. You reject all science so why are you asking science questions?

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                        aka-djposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                        You contradict yourself, that's why.
                        
                        You have been caught out lying, and won't admit to it.

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                           Righteous Atheistposted 10 years agoin reply to this

                           I did not such thing. Please stop lying about me. Thanks.

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