Can we actually see atoms with an electron microscope?

Question

What would they look like - what would the electron cloud look like. Can we see through it to the nucleus?

Answer 1

I don't know about an electron microscope. That's just caveman stuff these days. You can see them with a scanning tunnelling or a field ion microscope, though. Check out the link you "just a theory" guys.

Answer 2

Scanning tunnel microscopes have produced images that could be considered photos of atoms, but Bustersmycat has a point: "see" may not be the right word, nor is "photo." Considering the basic physics involved, such as the comparative size of an atom vs. the wavelength of visible light, plus the fact that bombarding an atom with photons changes it, talking about such things really doesn't make sense in the way that we're used to how things work in the macroscopic world.

Answer 3

As far as I know, the best they have been able to do is to see patterns of large atoms in crystal form. Wait, they have also been able to see little clumps of individual atoms, I remember now. Search on nanotechnology, and you should find some pictures of things like the IBM logo, made of little clumps of atoms, made by moving an atom at a time with an atomic force scanning microscope. Search on that term, you will find something.

Answer 4

Certain electron microscopes can detect atoms. If you want to have a look, check out

http://www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview/rev28-4/text/atoms.htm

Answer 5

I saw photomicrographs of electrons vibrating in the shell of an atom about 40 years ago. It looks almost the same as if you threw about 20 rocks into a lake at one time and all of their ripples crossed each other.

Here are a few from an easy web search:

http://www.photonics.com/content/news/2003/July/17/57603.aspx

http://www.ornl.gov/info/reporter/no4/z_con.htm

http://www.ornl.gov/info/press_releases/get_press_release.cfm?ReleaseNumber=mr20040415-00

http://www.emu.usyd.edu.au/emu/profiles_inst/aprobe.php

Answer 6

Atoms with electrons are just theories. LOL. Seriously, electron microscopes, allow you to see really small things magnefied alot of times, i mean alot. But no atoms, only stuff.

Answer 7

well ask what is an electron? Doesn't it go 'round an atomic nucleus, ie, it's part of an atom? yes you can see here for some fun

http://www.almaden.ibm.com/vis/stm/images/ibm.tif

Answer 8

i cannot remember the kind of microscope, but it has to be magnified about 1000000000x. if you were looking into a rock, the atoms inside would just be dark circles. i am not sure if that helps your question at all.

Answer 9

NO Atomic theory is still just theory. No one has seen an atom. Just like no one has seen God. As a matter of fact, recent theories like String Theory and Quantum Theory almost negate the possibility of classic atomic particle theory.

Answer 10

i think so, or u need a strong micrscope