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May 6, 2009 13:50How is matter held together?Why doesn't everything in the world fall apart into its component parts of atoms and molecules? |
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Great question! atoms are made up of three basic things, protons neutrons and electrons. molecules are made up of atoms and everything is made up of molecules. Now why things dont just fall apart, is because molecules are made of atoms that are bonded to each other, by electrons. and in turn some molecules are held toghether. but in the case of a liquid or gas, the molecules or atoms are mostly separate. in diamonds, the carbon atom forms a different structure, than, say graphite.
Individual atoms are held together by the strong and weak forces. (you can learn more about that by looking up the different forces)
Atoms and molecules attract one another with a series of forces, including electrostatic forces, dipole forces (including hydrogen bonding as a special case), London dispersion forces, and others.
Aren't dipole forces the things that make magnets?
I believe they are...but there could be other uses for the word too. And for your question, Max, inventorkid said pretty much everything. There are various ways that the atoms stick together, such as chemical bonding or opposite charges (like repels like, but opposite attracts opposite).
I agree that electrons attract protons, dipoles attract each other etc. but the electron's movement is random and so are the creation of dipoles so the attraction and repulsion forces acting among the particles are random so how the f.... can they hold together? ( sorry for the word :P)