like, has it been seen by anyone? with like a super microscope or something?? also, what are some major classes of carbon?
2006-10-18 00:33:09 · 12 answers · asked by peaches_ncream04 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Scanning-tunneling microscopes (which are a type of electron microscope) can easily detect individual atoms.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scanning_tunneling_microscope
http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/physics/microscopes/scanning/index.html
2006-10-18 01:01:50 · answer #1 · answered by mathematician 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Atoms are so small that they can't be seen, even with the most powerful microscopes. We know they exist by the way they function.
For example, the carbon atom has electrons on its outer ring. When the atom is heated up the electrons spin faster and faster until an electron is dislodged and goes to the atom next to it. This causes a chain reaction, because of the next atoms imbalance. This reaction travels through conductors and is how we get electricity.
Billions of electrons can be seen with the naked eye. A spark plug's spark is billions of electrons puddling up until there are so many of them that they jump across the spark plug gap.
2006-10-18 00:46:35 · answer #2 · answered by Cal 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not to the naked eye but yes with a microscope the atom has been seen.
2006-10-18 00:36:33 · answer #3 · answered by firemandan900 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The individual atom is too small to be seen by the naked eye or any instrument known to man. But its structured is inferred through the discovery of its properties. A mass of several atoms can be large enough to be seen.
2006-10-18 00:44:33 · answer #4 · answered by Doctor B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes it is, to an electron microscope. This is not visible light, which is too large a wavelength to catch details this small. There is actually a picture of atoms IBM scientists arranged to spell "IBM" at http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/vintage/vintage_4506VV1003.html
2006-10-18 00:40:54 · answer #5 · answered by sofarsogood 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dont think anyone saw an atom....cuz all the theory on atoms is based on assumptions from experiments...like rutherfords scattering experiment...bohr's theoy of atoms...etc.
If you want to knw in detail about carbon check this site...there's lot of information http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon
i hope this will be useful to you.
2006-10-18 00:48:42 · answer #6 · answered by Amukta 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Major types (allotropes) of carbon include:
diamond
graphite
graphene
buckminster fullerene
carbon nanotubes
2006-10-18 01:29:42 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No but there is a cloud containing atoms and electrons
2006-10-18 01:08:00 · answer #8 · answered by mms 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the scientists couldn't see the atom then they wouldn't know that one actually existed.
2006-10-18 00:35:37 · answer #9 · answered by boy_in_luv26 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes, since you see yourself (we are also composed of atoms) it is visible (interacts with light)
2006-10-18 01:28:56 · answer #10 · answered by come2turkey:) 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋