A question about atoms

[enimes]

I hope I don't sound silly asking this. Can somebody explain atoms to me? I understand how atoms are made up (protons, neutrons, electrons etc.) so logically do I even exist as a person? And what's to stop me from walking through walls, say? Is it simply that science hasn't uncovered the full knowledge of how atoms work?

[dotjhawkes]

no I don't think it is as imple as that enemies.

[enimes]

Can you explain further please dotjhawkes? I had a feeling I was wrong but really want somebody to explain it in simple terms to me if possible. I know I can be a bit thick sometimes!

[enimes]

And thank you for coming over to answer my question dotjhawkes. I'm having a quick nosie around Answerbank. It's a good website isn't it?

[Loosehead]

Atoms are the building blocks of matter. All the elements have atoms of a slightly different composition, the simplest and most common being hydrogen. Even the most dense material is nearly all empty space, the Electrons orbit the atom in varying orbits around the nucleus, the strong Nuclear force holds the atom together. Everything is composed of atoms including your body. Molecules are formed by when certain combinations of atoms are together. For example water is formed when 2 atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen combines.

[mibn2cweus]

�. . . logically do I even exist as a person?� This is entirely up to you! You apparently have the raw materials and asking this question is the beginning to obtaining the answer. You must arrive at the answer for yourself and the answer you arrive at will determine just what kind of person you are. It is good to look outside yourself for the answer, since we are not born with it, but be cautious of the �answers� others are often all to willing to provide. They are not all right.
Remember to enjoy what you have because this will fuel your desire to obtain more.

[enimes]

Thank you. This is really interesting stuff. A friend of mine is very spiritual and he has his own theories. He was explaining that some Yogi's are said to have appeared in two places at the same time. He believes that this is because they have reached such a spritual oneness with the universe that they can control their atomic presence. Or something like that. I'm not explaining myself very well but I know what I mean!

[loudickson71]

He's talking crap.

[mibn2cweus]

No, really! Given enough of the 'right' beverage I've seen three, even more at the same time, and Boo Boo too!

[JudgeJ]

Just to add a little more to the science side of things (I'm not too well versed with matters spiritual). As loosehead says, in atoms under “normal” conditions (i.e. those that we experience on the surface of the earth) atoms are composed almost entirely of empty space. This is the void between the nucleus (the protons and the neutrons) and the electrons which orbit around the nucleus. To use an analogy, if the nucleus were the size of a football placed at the centre of London’s Oxford Circus, the electrons would be in orbit round about the distance of the M25 (which, for non-Southerners, is an orbital motorway at a distance of around 20 miles from the centre)

The attractive nuclear forces keep the nuclei and electrons together whilst the repellent nuclear forces between the electrons prevent the atoms of your body passing through those of a wall or floor.

Under more extreme conditions in, for example, superdense stars, gravity begins to overwhelm the nuclear forces, squeezing the electrons and the nuclei closer together. This leads to the story of Black Holes, but that is for another day.

[Calvesy]

You're right, enimes, there is no such entity as a person, it's just a trick created by the ego to motivate an animal by believing that its survival is important. In humans the delusion is so strong that religions make you believe that this ego even survives the inevitable physical death. Whether you live or die, every single atom in your body is replaced every few years, except for the ink in tattoos. Even fossils have none of the original atoms of the 'owner'. Solid objects repel at microscopic distances because of electron clouds around nuclei.

If you want to spend long periods unemployed, starving and holding unnatural postures, you might have a yogic experience, but, like being a person, it will only be real to you. Once you stop pretending to be a person you will realise that all boundaries are entirely arbitrary and the continuum is obvious. Just revert back to Western Dualism if this makes you suicidal. And phone your parents once week to maintain your cover story to them.

[MEDUSA]

lol mibn2cweus......I'm sorry...I know it's not directly related to the thread...but that was vert witty...enough to induce me to remark on it anyway!

[mibn2cweus]

MEDUSA, Don�t know that I would encourage him but I was irrepressible as well! >}:~)

[enimes]

Thank you all who contributed an answer, especially JudgeJ and Calvesy. I actually got talking to a physicist on Monday night who kindly explained his theory on atoms. It was very interesting. :)