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How are Atoms Differentiated When Quanta are Not?
June 1, 2016 at 8:38 am
While there are hydrogen atoms and oxygen atoms, I’ve never heard of a hydrogen electron or oxygen proton. This leads me to conclude that quanta are not differentiated, but that leaves me to wonder, if a fermion is a fermion, what makes some atoms hydrogen and some oxygen? My first guess would be the number of electrons, but that number is not constant.
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RE: How are Atoms Differentiated When Quanta are Not?
June 1, 2016 at 8:48 am
(June 1, 2016 at 8:38 am)Rhondazvous Wrote: While there are hydrogen atoms and oxygen atoms, I’ve never heard of a hydrogen electron or oxygen proton. This leads me to conclude that quanta are not differentiated, but that leaves me to wonder, if a fermion is a fermion, what makes some atoms hydrogen and some oxygen? My first guess would be the number of electrons, but that number is not constant.
Atoms of different elements have different numbers of protons and neutrons as well as as electrons.
The number of protons determines what element it is.
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RE: How are Atoms Differentiated When Quanta are Not?
June 1, 2016 at 8:58 am
(This post was last modified: June 1, 2016 at 8:58 am by ignoramus.)
The amount of protons and neutrons dictates the physical properties of matter.
The heavier the atom, the denser the nucleus, the more complex is the electron "virtual" orbits.
This affects the electronegativity of the atom. This value also dictates how aggressively it can react or not react with other elements.
This is/was the classic model. Anything more granular and you need to go subatomic. (beyond my pay grade)
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RE: How are Atoms Differentiated When Quanta are Not?
June 1, 2016 at 9:08 am
Exactly as the others said, the number of Protons. That will indirectly influence the number of Electrons, because only when there are as many electrons as protons is the atom electrically neutral, otherwise it will tend to kick an electron out or acquire a new one. Since that happens all the time, and in molecules and crystals it is not clear which electron belongs to which atom, one uses the protons as the unique identifier.
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RE: How are Atoms Differentiated When Quanta are Not?
June 1, 2016 at 11:00 am
Eye c
Danke!
The god who allows children to be raped out of respect for the free will choice of the rapist, but punishes gay men for engaging in mutually consensual sex couldn't possibly be responsible for an intelligently designed universe.
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RE: How are Atoms Differentiated When Quanta are Not?
June 1, 2016 at 1:02 pm
Being told you're delusional does not necessarily mean you're mental.
