We are all 99.99% empty space?

[flobadob]

According to Brian Cox on a recent episode of Wonders of the Universe, everything in said universe is made up of 99.99% empty space. He reckoned that atoms have a nucleus with accounts for most of it's mass then a vast almost empty space between the nucleus and the outer layer.

As everything in the universe is made from atoms, it stands that the universe is actually 99.99% empty space. This concept has boggled my little mind.

[Quizmonster]

Within the rim, the inside of a bike-wheel is probably 99.99% empty space...I still wouldn't advise trying to put your hand through a spinning one!

[joggerjayne]

Just visualise the Croydon branch of MENSA ... 99.99% empty space.

It's the same principle.

[boxtops]

Yep - if you also saw Jim Khalili's programme about Nothing last week, the empty spaces are not empty after all, they're full of atmosphere.

[Red_John]

obviously boxtop didn't see that program! Atmosphere! perlease.

[flobadob]

In fairness, Cox did say that there were a few neutrons between the nucleus and the outer shell of atoms but he likened this to a few specks of dust within the radius of a mile, so pretty negligible. Can't argue with boxtops as I'm not too sure on the matter, but perhaps you picked the other guy's theory up wrong?

[New Judge]

http://www.theanswerb.../Question1001033.html

[boxtops]

OK, I'm simplifying, but he was speaking about pressures holding up lines of mercury etc., and the term he used was atmospheric pressure being all around us - something which we think is empty, in fact - isn't.

[vascop]

Box, you have got this completely wrong!! JA was demonstrating that the reason the walls of a straw collapse is because of the pressure of the atmosphere on the outside.
Flob, BC did NOT say that there are neutrons between the nucleus and the outermost orbit of ELECTRONS (NOT atoms). The neutrons are with the protons in the NUCLEOUS and there are electrons orbiting the nucleous.

[JonnyBoy12]

That is not the only thing that is 99.99%. That amount of species which have ever lived on Earth are now extinct. Now that is amazing!

[Old_Geezer]

That is all very interesting, but what are Answerbank posters full of?

[vascop]

sorry that should be nucleus NOT nucleous.

[jomifl]

99.99% of an atom may be space but it almost certainly is not empty.

[douglas9401]

But we can at least agree that we're so pretty, oh so pretty vacant, and we don't care.

Can't we?

[flobadob]

So I wander what size would all the material in the universe be if combined, and then get rid of all the space?

[boxtops]

Ah well - I was half asleep at the time, but I found it fascinating. Jim Khalili's programme a couple of years ago about the Chaos theory was equally fascinating, glued to the box but I had no idea what he was actually saying.