Atoms from pre-historic times?!?

Question

It really fasinates me that an atom can never be destroyed. yes, they can be cut in half more and more, but in teh end they are just a smaller piece, they arent gone. There is no way we can make an atom out of nothing or destroy an atom. so that means the same atoms that were here in pre-historic times, are with us right now! they might be in out food, at our school, in our books, everywere! What are your thoughts and opinions on this? itrs really interesting to me!

Answer 1

I'll take it even one step further for you.

During the creation of the universe, only hydrogen and helium atoms existed. Hydrogen lead to the birth of stars. It was not possible for any atom other than these 2 to be created until these stars were formed. At the centre of any star, "burnt" hydrogen accumulates to form denser atoms such as carbon and metals etc. Millions of years later, the stars "supernova" or blow up and release these denser atoms into the universe. Which would lead to the the creation of planets...
Long story short, with the exception of hydrogen and helium, every atom you see was once part of a now dead star.

and the circle of life continues

btw, for the answer above mine, I dont think that it is very accurate.

He is right when he says that atoms can be destroyed. Dont quote me on this but I am fairly certain that during nuclear reactions in which we break apart and atom to release its energy, the atom is not "destoyed" but its is broken into atomic particles smaller than protons and neutrons (i think they're called quasers?) Those smaller fragments will eventually join something else.
The only occaision when an atom can actually cease to exist would be when an atom of matter collides with an atom of anit-matter. (anti-matter has negative protons and positive electrons) The collision will destroy both atoms and release a tremendous amount on energy. They estimate that one gram of antimatter is enough to send a rocket from here to mars and back in a month. Of course this technology is not known to us yet. How can we contain something that will destroy anything it touches? Also we are uncertain if anti-matter even exists naturally, it is thought to be in remote places of the universe but for now, its easier to create it.

Answer 2

I think you meant to say that a piece of matter can be cut in half until you're down to individual atoms. Atoms can't be cut (in fact, the word is Greek: a-tom = not-cut) normally, but they can be destroyed under certain conditions - either blasted apart in stars or atomic bombs, or when radioactive elements decay into lighter ones.

Answer 3

E=MC(squared). Matter can be converted into energy. In the first moment of the Big Bang there were no atoms. And even atoms today (with quite a lot of energy) can be broken down to smaller parts called Quarks. And electrons are the outer shell of an atom, but are very easily made to leave it. This is electricity.

Answer 4

Yeah, it kinda blows your mind doesn't it : )

You might be interested in knowing that virtually all the elements in our bodies were generated by ancient stars that exploded at the end of their lives and blasted the elements that they had "cooked up" into space. It's from all that stuff that new stars, planets, and even people come.

Answer 5

Yeah. You and I are breathing some of the same oxygen atoms that were in Moses lungs.