I would like to gain some serious answers. If you are not answering seriously then don't answer. I'm hoping an idealist or scientist will see this question and use it to advance in knowledge and possibly find a way to create something faster than light (FTL) or improve communications.
2006-07-13 15:58:05 · 10 answers · asked by I want to know more 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
I would like to gain some serious answers. If you are not answering seriously then don't answer. I'm hoping an idealist or scientist will see this question and use it to advance in knowledge and possibly find a way to create something faster than light (FTL) or improve communications. Also if you are wondering how this would be FTL... If you have a perferct rigid substance whatever you do to one side effects the other in the very instant. Therefore FTL, I think.
2006-07-13 17:05:25 · update #1
You could create a substance of just protons and neutrons, but it would definitely not be a perfect rigid substance. In fact, perfect rigid substances are prohibited by the theory of relativity. Remember that according to relativity there is a finite speed of causality, which happens to be the speed of light. Picture a perfect rigid rod that is a light year long. According to the theory of relativity any signal must take at least a year to go from one end of the rod to the other. If the rod is perfectly rigid and I push on one end, then the other end that is a light year away will have to start moving instantly... to avoid deforming. Consequently, I could send messages instantly along the perfect rod by tapping on one end with a hammer. Thus I would be able to send signals at an infinite speed and I would violate one of the postulates of relativity. So which are you willing to give up? perfect rigid substances or relativity? Keep in mind relativity is experimentally verified.
2006-07-14 04:40:19 · answer #1 · answered by Link 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, one proton and one neutron is a deuterium ion. A hydrogen ion would be just a naked proton.
The closest substance to what you're describing is called neutronium. Neutronium occurs when the pressure on normal matter is so great that the electron cloud collapses into the nucleus. Pressures like this occur only in places like the cores of collapsing stars. When the electrons enter the nucleus, a reaction occurs between the electrons and the protons, yielding neutrons. The end result is a material composed entirely of neutrons. It's so dense that a teaspoon full of it would mass in the tens of tons. Would it be rigid? Probably very much so, but I'm unaware of any theoretical studies on the physical properties of neutronium. In so far as I know, no one has ever actually observed any. Given that you'd only find it in very dense stars, this is no surprise.
I'm not sure how this would lead you to FTL travel, though.
2006-07-13 23:11:47 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is just a theory...but it occurs to me that a molecule make only of protons and neutrons (such as a hydrogen ion) would be very positively charged. The electrons are what contributes the negative charge to keep the atomic charge balanced.
Physics tell us that opposites attract and like charges repel. That being the case, the atoms of your substance would repel each other, and would not form any kind of bond. It would have to be a gas....
Theoretically, I suppose it would be possible to strip away the electrons, but by changing the charge so drastically, I think you would destroy your element.
Please keep in mind...I'm not a physicist, but a biologist....but thank you for the brain exercise!
2006-07-13 23:10:42 · answer #3 · answered by Lisa S 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, in radioactivity, I don't recall which one, I think that it's the alpha particle that is just two neutrons and two protons...then also you have the hydronium ion, which is a proton...so, these do exist, I think that with all of the studies on these two, if there were incredible uses...people would have known by now, but maybe not.
But you can't keep the electrons away...
2006-07-13 23:44:04 · answer #4 · answered by creative 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I doubt that it would be rigid....remember, rigid things have an internal structure that can counteract forces in any direction. What you are talking about wouldn't have that.
Plus, there is no way to just isolate protons. Even if you could somehow pump all the electrons away, more would just spontaneously appear from the vacuum.
2006-07-13 23:21:56 · answer #5 · answered by j 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately, it's physically impossible to create an element or molecule without electrons, as it's the sharing of electrons that actually binds atoms together.
The only element that would 'survive' (for lack of a better word) would be a hydrogen ion (a hyrogen atom which has lost one electron, leaving it with no electrons).
2006-07-13 23:08:49 · answer #6 · answered by jedimastercurtis 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For any stable atom to form, you need equal charges. Electrons being -vely charge and protons being positively charge. If there is an imbalance of charges, the atom is considered unstable and will try to reach stability. The process to reach stability is called radioactive decay and the unstable atom is radioactive due to the instability.
2006-07-13 23:20:56 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A hydrogen ion H+ is one proton and one neutron, I believe. It is not rigid at all, but is either a gas or liquid most likely
2006-07-13 23:02:15 · answer #8 · answered by Larry 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A deuteron is one proton and one neutron, but I think they only occur as sub-atomic particles. I'm not aware of any "substance" that doesn't have electrons.
Are you thinking of ionized propulsion or something?
2006-07-13 23:07:52 · answer #9 · answered by hyperhealer3 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is possible for any substance to contain no electrons. but the higher the atomic number the more of a positive charge the substance will be.
2006-07-13 23:06:34 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋