Do you think an atom really looks like the atomic structure diagrams? Why or why not?

Question

i need help so if any one can awnser this question or tell me where i can find a pic of a highly magnafied atom plz awnser this!!!!

Answer 1

No, an atom wouldn't look anything like that, it's just a simplification to explain the structure.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atom

Answer 2

It definitely does not look that way. That's a 19th century conception that has long been outdated. It's still used, though, because it's helpful for students learning the basic structure of an atom.

Here's a picture of some atoms taken with, i believe, an electron microscope:
http://www.physik.uni-augsburg.de/exp6/imagegallery/afmimages/atoms.jpg

It's not a very detailed picture of atoms, but it's probably the best that it's possible to do.

Here's some pictures of how atoms with different electron configurations might look, if it were possible to actually see them:
http://phycomp.technion.ac.il/~phr76ja/viz1.gif

These sorts of pictures are generated by computer simulations that are based on, i believe, quantum mechanical descriptions of how electrons and such behave.

Answer 3

No. An atom looks like a little dot. The electrons are moving so fast that they can't be seen.

At super high magnification, molocules looks like a few dots next to each other.

Answer 4

Yes, because otherwise they wouldnt tell us it looked like that.