Has anyone ever seen an Atom or subatomic particles?

Question

Can they be seen or is it only possible to see their effects and theorise what they look like?

Answer 1

You can't see an atom, never mind subatomic particles, in the same way as you would looking down a microscope. The wavelength of light is far too large compared to the size of an atom.



However, using an electron microscope, you can get images like this of silicon nitride, where individual atoms of the molecule can be made out. However, this is based on electrons hitting the atom and a computer analysing the results, rather than light waves. Atoms are simply too small to be seen directly.



http://www.iatia.com.au/technology/samples/siliconNitride.asp



If you get atoms and smash them together at high speeds, then you can analyse the particles within the atom. You can study the electrical charge of electrons and protons by performing experiments such as Rutherford's classic nineteenth century experiments where he proved that an atom must have a negatively charged outer shell and a positively charged nucleus (see source).



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They are fuzzy with the best electron microscopes - that is because of quantum uncertainty and no matter how powerful a microscope we build, this can't be overcome. Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle states that if something very small is moving, we can't know where it is. If we know where it is, we can't know how fast it is moving. This causes the fuzziness at very small scales. There is a probability that an electron could be in one position, or another position and instead of a point, you end up with a fuzzy probability of where the electron is likely to be.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Atoms have been imaged using Electron Scanning Microscopes (ESM). Look it up and you will even find some pictures.

Of course, these atom images do not resemble the atom drawings we see in books with a multicolored nucleous surrounded by happy spinning electrons. The atoms are usually placed on an inert surface and simply look like dots or bumps.

Not all atoms have been iimaged - yuo need big atoms, and you need them to stick to the surface. You also need the atoms to stay still so you can image them, so these experiments usually require the sample to be cooled to very low temperatures.

I belive Xenon atoms have been imaged most sucessfully. Atoms can also be moved and arranged on the sample surface using the tip of the electron scanning microscope. IBM engineers used this technique to write IBM using atoms on a surface about 10 years ago. Again, search the web and you should find this photo.

Many molecules have also been imaged using ESM.



Subatomic particles (e.g., protons, neutrons and electrons) have never been imaged because too small for current technology.

However, it is possible to obtain particle traisl by using "bubble chambers" or "vapour chambers". Search ne web for descriptions of these and how they work.

Answer 4

Has Anyone Seen An Atom

Answer 5

This is all SPECULATION AND CONJECTURE... The Scientist is too egoistic to admit that he cannot see an atom or a subatomic particle. He says he can see its effects and the way it behaves if he does something - so he concludes that he has seen an atom. This is just like the Believer or the Messiah saying he has seen God because he can see the effects of Gods creation. Yes scientists do know how to do things with so called atoms.....sometimes constructive ....other times destructive....



The human experience has its LIMITATIONS when u try to look outside of yourself. If u wish to see an atom or know everything in the Cosmos ....LOOK INWARDS.

Answer 6

Atom as a whole is electrically neutral. The number of protons is equal to the number of electrons. But the electrons can occupy only certain permitted orbits having some discrete energy levels. If they do not occupy so, we cannot explain the emission of radiation from these elements. Now a days we do not say that electrons occupy some orbits; but we say that they occupy some energy levels. Each orbit corresponds to some energy level. The quantum physics explains well about the structure of atoms. Using probability theory and Pauli’s exclusion principle one can predict the number of electrons that can occupy an energy level. This is based on the profound law according to which only two electrons can have the same chi function. In other words an energy level cannot be occupied by more than two electrons.

Answer 7

If you limit "see" to optical methods, no, those methods can't resolve objects smaller than the wavelength of the illuminating light. For greater resolution, an electron beam can be used (as in an electron microscope). The finest resolution we have so far is with the scanning tunneling microscope, which makes use of quantum phenomena. IBM used these to look at, and even to manipulate, individual atoms.

Answer 8

Atoms can be seen with the strongest of electron microscopes. Light microscopes cannot be used because the photons of light move the atoms.



http://www.wellesley.edu/Chemistry/Chem110e/Atoms/atoms.gif



It may be possible to see smaller particles in the future.

Answer 9

You see billions atoms and sub atomic particles every time you open your eyes...



Only electron microscopes can actually see images of single atoms.

Answer 10

yes,

but they are extremely fuzzy with the strongest electron microscopes

only very VERY recently has anyone actualy been able to see them like this...

but perhaps they arn't what we are looking for.... : o

Answer 11

never