i said that you can't pass your finger through a table or something solid because the atoms are so tight togeter, and that its like when you get two magnets, and try to touch negative with negative, you can't right...and i said its because of physics, and the people who were there said,"no its chemistry" and they started laughing at me, i want to know if its physics or chemistry, i apologize for my ignorance
2006-10-04 04:38:14 · 10 answers · asked by Leon 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
all chemistry (like all science) is just a subset of physics that describes a very limited scope of operations. So yes, you are right, it would be physics. Even so, the electromagnetic force of subatomic particles is rarely considered in the field of chemistry, so you're right on there too.
EDIT: Andyoptic, chemistry gets it's own prize because it's a distinct section of physics. And no, physics is not a branch of mathematics. Rather, mathematics is a language specifically created to deal with the terms of physics. In other words, math is part of physics too...
2006-10-04 05:18:27 · answer #1 · answered by promethius9594 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes the atoms are tightly held together, otherwise they would separate as you tried to push your finger through them. You could put your finger through a table if the electrons would move out of the way, because the space between the nucli of atoms is far greater than the actual mass takes up. If you were able to remove all the space between all atoms of the earth, it would fit in a spoon. Think of lead which is soft. The atoms are not held as tightly together so you can hit it with a hammer repeatedly and eventually it will produce a hole. To me the line blurs between chemistry and physics at the atomic level.
2006-10-04 04:50:19 · answer #2 · answered by Dennis K 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You were right. It's physics. Chemistry is just the name given to the branch of physics that deals with interactions between electrons related to atomic bonding.
Thought that might ruffle a few feathers ;-)
2006-10-04 05:13:44 · answer #3 · answered by black sheep 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I suspect that people's laughing had nothing to do with physics or chemistry. May be that was not the right time /place for science.
2006-10-04 04:48:15 · answer #4 · answered by Rajesh Kochhar 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Atoms are mostly empty space. It is the electromagnetic force that prevents solid objects from passing through each other. The valence electrons in your finger repulse the valence electrons in the table's atoms.
It's quantum mechanics.
2006-10-04 04:46:38 · answer #5 · answered by Randy G 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hey, its science !! Have fun.
By the way Black Sheep, if chemistry is just a branch of physics how come it has its own Nobel Prize? AND is not physics just a branch of mathematics?!
2006-10-04 05:20:57 · answer #6 · answered by andyoptic 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
chemistry is only concerned with the outer electrons of the atom as these take part in the chemical reactions...so it's not chemistry lol
2006-10-04 04:42:48 · answer #7 · answered by jo88 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Things involving atoms are chemistry, I think.
2006-10-04 04:41:00 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
hey everybody makes mistakes- even me- nobody's perfect the only perfect person is God
2006-10-04 04:46:29 · answer #9 · answered by cayla_152 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
its forces so its obviously physics
2006-10-04 04:40:40 · answer #10 · answered by tom m 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋