Learn more physics!
Q:
What does a picture of the atom "Gold" look like?
- Jenny (age 13)
Eatonville,WA,US
A:
Jenny -
Each atom of gold has a nucleus in the middle with 79
protons and 118 neutrons all packed together. Spinning around the
nucleus are 79 electrons.
This is a picture of gold from
Webelements.com.
The big problem with this picture is that it makes it look like the
electrons are a lot bigger than the nucleus, when they're actually a
lot smaller. It also doesn't have the electrons organized into the
orbits quite right, but it's got the right number all together:
You
can also find some good pictures of atoms in general and a better
explanation of how the atom works by looking at the answer to the
question
Picture of an Atom.
-Tamara
(published on 10/22/2007)
Follow-up on this answer.
