Page 46 - The Miracle in the Atom

THE MIRACLE IN THE ATOM

a Noble Prize for his discovery). Mankind was introduced to the real structu-
re of the atom only at such a recent date.
We had mentioned before how small is the nucleus of the atom. The si-
ze of a proton that is able to fit in the atomic nucleus is 10 metres.
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You may think that such a small particle would not have any meaning
in one's life. However, these particles that are so small as to be incomprehen-
sible by the human mind form the basis of everything you see around you.

Source of the Diversity in the Universe
There are 109 elements that so far have been identified. The entire uni-
verse, our earth, and all animate and inanimate beings are formed by the ar-
rangement of these 109 elements in various combinations. Thus far, we saw
that all elements are made up of atoms that are similar to each other, which,
in turn are made up of the same particles. So, if all the atoms constituting the
elements are made up of the same particles, what then is it that makes the
elements different from each other and causes the formation of infinitely di-
verse matters?
It is the number of protons in the nuclei of the atoms that principally
differentiates the elements from each other. There is one proton in the hydro-
gen atom, the lightest element, 2 protons in the helium atom, the second
lightest element, 79 protons in the gold atom, 8 protons in the oxygen atom
and 26 protons in the iron atom. What differentiates gold from iron and iron
from oxygen is simply the different numbers of protons in their atoms. The
air we breathe, our bodies, the plants and animals, planets in space, animate
and inanimate, bitter and sweet, solid and liquid, everything… all of these
are ultimately made up of protons, neutrons and electrons.

The Borderline of Physical Existence: the Quarks
Until 20 years ago, it was believed that the smallest particles making up
the atoms were protons and neutrons. Yet, most recently, it has been discove-
red that there are much smaller particles in the atom that form the above-
mentioned particles.
This discovery led to the development of a branch of physics called

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