Electron Semantics and web Formatting

Most recent answer: 09/03/2011

Q:
Electron Ocean: To a recent question "how can an electron move two ways at once?" you answered "...you can have an electron wave going around the atom one way or the opposite way, or a wave combining those two parts...". Also to another question "What is an electron?" you answered "They [‘Small objects’, e.g., electrons] are always spread out. They can even be found spread out into clouds with two or more lumps, in which case they are said to be "in two places at the same time"." In light of the above answers, i.e., an electron undulates like an ocean with waves going every which way, it seems most of the confusion of the inquirers comes from the choice of the term 'cloud'. I suggest a more apt phrase is "Electron Ocean". All the images of waves and lumps and variation in the wave amplitude are conjured up by the term “ocean�. This is a case of “What is in a name?� Some names are more descriptive than others. If the term cloud has already been too well established, then, I suggest, answers to such inquiries are prefaced by the statement “Think of an electron as an ocean…� Minor question: How do you place a space between paragraphs in the question section? My questions appear without space, all in one long paragraph!
- Mehran (age 60)
Miami, FL
A:
Hi Mehran- I'm not sure if the "ocean" phrasing would make much difference. The basic idea itself is difficult.

Speaking of difficulties, I haven't figured out the formatting of the questions here either. Maybe as some sort of security measure, they seem to process a smaller character set than our answer portions. We even have trouble with apostrophes.

Mike W.

(published on 09/03/2011)