Page 47 - The Miracle in the Atom
P. 47

The Structure Of The Atom
                                                                  topaz
                                         pyrite
                  titanium
      limestone                                                        blue sapphire
                          yellow sapphire
                                                     calcite
                                                                                 talc

                                             copper         topaz
          emery stone
                           fluoride
                                                   iron
                                                                         galena

                                         quartz
                      coal
                                                               diamond               apatite
          barium sulfate
                            feldspar

                                     rock salt
                                                  feldspar
                                                                         gold
                                                    quartz



        What causes the difference between the elements is the number of protons in the nuclei of their atoms.
        It is this difference that makes the materials shown above appear so different from each other.



             "Particle Physics" investigating the "sub-particles" within the atom and their
             particular movements. Research conducted by particle physics revealed that
             the protons and neutrons making up the atom are actually formed of sub-
             particles called "quarks".
                 The dimension of the quarks that form the proton, which is so small as
             to exceed the capabilities of human imagination, is much more astounding:
             10 (0.000000000000000001) metres.
               -18
                 The quarks inside a proton can never be pulled apart from each other
             very much because the "strong nuclear force" that is responsible for keeping
             the particles inside the nucleus together operates here as well. This force ser-
             ves as a rubber band between the quarks. As the distance between the qu-
             arks increases, so does this force and two quarks cannot become more dis-
             tant from each other than a quadrillionth of a metre. These rubber bands bet-



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