Can two atoms touch each other?

Question

Is it even possible? and if so what is the reaction it has? and if two atoms can not touch what is our sense of touch based on? Perception?Vibrations?

Answer 1

On the atomic scale, you cannot think of touching in the same way we think of it on the macroscopic scale. Every molecule consists of atoms which have a certain bond length, which is the distance between their nuclei. The nuclei themselves never touch (except during a nuclear fusion reaction), but the outermost electrons of each atom can be shared between the atoms. So, the atoms are "touching" in the sense that they share electron probability density, but it is really all just empty space.

It's important to understand that atoms do not have rigidly-defined radii or boundaries. Quantum mechanics can only give us the most probable place for electrons to be in relation to the nucleus, but we can never know exactly where they are.

Answer 2

The outer part of the atom, the electrons is like a cloud or mist. When several atoms bond, they share this cloud. When they separate, they take some of this cloud with them. An electron is not dedicated to a particular nucleus, but is kind of shared, contributing to a community cloud. In ions where the charge is not balanced, a net plus charge pulls the cloud in closer, a net minus charge and the mist expands outward to make an larger effective atomic radii. So while bonding in molecules has specific interaction states and distances, it is not really comparable to surfaces touching. The pictures you see that show molecules as being stacked like so many marbles is very deceptive.

Our sense of touch is based on neuron cells, each one of which contains many compounds and these are composed of atoms. What happens to make these cells work is far removed from the interation of a single atom. Placed just under the outer layer of skin, the neurons can detect when the cells that make up the skin are stressed or pushed, and they then start a chain reaction that signals a series of connected neurons to tell the brain that something has happened.

If our brain said ouch every time our skin was touched by an atom, it would have to say ouch billions of times a second. Our body is deigned to only react to large scale unusual conditions.

Answer 3

Yes atoms can touch each other when they combine to make compounds, Water is hydrogen, sharing an electron with oxygen.

But even if not, the reason you can feel touch is that the billions of attoms on the object and making up the surface of your finger are so close together they form a solid and touch is similar to putting to "like" poles of a magnet together
You can feel the force of pushing away even though they do not touch.

Answer 4

Touching in the macroscopic sense does not exist in the atomic scale. Most microscopic space is empty space with the atoms occupyinng only a very small fraction of this space. The "contact" is achieved at a distance(though this seems a contradition) through electrical forces mostly.

Answer 5

They can, but the forces repelling them from each other are VERY strong. When they do actually collide at high speeds, you get all sorts of nuclear debris and particles flying out. That's what those big particle accelerators do. Molecular bonds are when several atoms' nuclei are in close proximity, sharing electrons. But the nuclei never actually touch.

When you touch something, you feel the pressure of it against your own finger, despite the fact that the actual nuclei of the molecules do not touch. They get close enough to put repellent forces on each other, which is what you feel.

Answer 6

everything is made up of touching atoms

Answer 7

yes that is how molecules are made. H2O, CO2. They bond together.