Why Do Atoms Exist?

[Ian]

I know that Atoms are the basic building blocks of all matter and that there are a little under or over 114 of them and that when they are mixed together they become different elements or combinations of elements like chemical bonds are, but why do atoms exist in the first place?

 

[Bronze Dog]

One clarification I imagine a lot of people will ask: Are you asking why they exist, or how they exist?

If you're asking why, I believe that's an extralogical question, outside the bounds of logic and science.

If you're asking how, I'm sure someone can fill you in on all the forces that keep all the smaller particles together.

 

[Ducky]

They exist because Santa wanted it that way.

I heard this from the pink unicorn when I was practicing being invisible.


Ok, condescention aside, BronzeDog is right, why they exist is a metaphysical question.

How they exist is a scientific one.

Which is it?

 

[Ian]

Why Atoms Exist

I know that atoms were formed when the big bang occured billions of years ago and that was when the process started that "Created" "Evolved" atoms. How did they come together like that from the first moments of the big bang and afterwards? Is this a metaphysical question or a scientific question? What conditions inside the big bang led to the formation of atoms and molecules?

 

[Ducky]

Re: Why Atoms Exist

I know that atoms were formed when the big bang occured billions of years ago and that was when the process started that "Created" "Evolved" atoms. How did they come together like that from the first moments of the big bang and afterwards? Is this a metaphysical question or a scientific question? What conditions inside the big bang led to the formation of atoms and molecules?

Thanks for the clarifacation.

Yes that is a scientific question, but I'm not sure if it can be answered by science yet. Of course, I have no idea what the answer is to that, and I've not read anything on point with that recently.

I'll defer to the Ph.Ds on this one.

 

[Dr. Fendetestas]

Re: Why Atoms Exist

I know that atoms were formed when the big bang occured billions of years ago and that was when the process started that "Created" "Evolved" atoms. How did they come together like that from the first moments of the big bang and afterwards? Is this a metaphysical question or a scientific question? What conditions inside the big bang led to the formation of atoms and molecules?

Hyperphysics is always a good source.

 

[Bronze Dog]

I like the last bit of the timeline: "Living beings begin to analyze the process."

 

[Bronze Dog]

Reading some more of that site. The language is a bit higher up than I'm used to, but I'm finding lots of interesting things, like "Electron-Positron Pair Production". It was my understanding that electrons and positrons often formed (and annihilated each other) in a vacuum, but the idea that a photon could turn into a pair was surprising. If I'm understanding correctly, this happens when the photon has the same energy as an electron and positron do while they're at rest, right?

 

[tracer]

I know that Atoms are the basic building blocks of all matter and that there are a little under or over 114 of them and that when they are mixed together they become different elements

Nitpick: An atom does not need to be mixed with other atoms to become an element. It already is an element. Mixing it with other atoms will not change what kind of element it is -- the only way to change what kind of element an atom is is for the atom to spontaneously to undergo nuclear decay (if it's radioactive), or for its nucleus to get bombarded by other nucleonic particles that either split it apart or fuse together with it.

 

[kedo1981]

There is no why, only is "wha; did I say that?"

 

[tracer]

If I'm understanding correctly, [positron-electron pair production] happens when the photon has the same energy as an electron and positron do while they're at rest, right?

Actually, the photon only has to have at least as much enegy as the electron and positron do while they're at rest. If it has more energy, the created electron and positron will merely have some kinetic energy -- they'll be moving away from each other. How fast they're moving is a matter of how much more energy the photon had than the two particles' rest mass-energies. What direction they're moving (straight apart, apart at a 170 degree angle, etc.) depends on the momentum of the photon (Planck's constant divided by the photon's wavelength).

Note, however, that sufficient energy to make an electron and a positron is only one precondition for a photon to undergo pair creation. There must also be a strong electric field present, such as the electric field right next to a nucleus.

 

[Ducky]

Man you guys are great. That site is excellent and I really learned alot today.

 

[Bronze Dog]

Thanks for the extra clarification, tracer. I figured there'd be some extra portion necessary, since if the e-/p+ pair was created without any extra energy, they'd pretty much be standing still in the same space and thus instantly annihilate each other, right?

Took a quick look over the portions on quarks. Color charges. Freaky.

 

[RandFan]

I gotta hang out in this forum more often. Cool.

This prompted me to do some exploring on the net. One question. Were all elements created during or shortly after the big bang (Big Bang nucleosynthesis)?

 

[Donks]

I gotta hang out in this forum more often. Cool.

This prompted me to do some exploring on the net. One question. Were all elements created during or shortly after the big bang (Big Bang nucleosynthesis)?

As I understand it, only the lighter elements were created shortly after the big Bang. Stuff like Hydrogen and Helium. Once stars started up, fusion produced heavier elements, up to iron. Iron is a dead end, so the star no longer has fuel, and it collapses, going nova. When the first stars (which were truly massive and lived quite short lives) went nova, the rest of the periodic table appeared.

 

[Bronze Dog]

As I understand it, only the lighter elements were created shortly after the big Bang. Stuff like Hydrogen and Helium. Once stars started up, fusion produced heavier elements, up to iron. Iron is a dead end, so the star no longer has fuel, and it collapses, going nova. When the first stars (which were truly massive and lived quite short lives) went nova, the rest of the periodic table appeared.

I was wondering about the elements heavier than iron.

Iron's the usual dead end, since fusing it takes energy, rather than releases it, right?

 

[Donks]

I was wondering about the elements heavier than iron.

Iron's the usual dead end, since fusing it takes energy, rather than releases it, right?

Exactly.

 

[SpaceFluffer]

As I understand it, only the lighter elements were created shortly after the big Bang. Stuff like Hydrogen and Helium. Once stars started up, fusion produced heavier elements, up to iron. Iron is a dead end, so the star no longer has fuel, and it collapses, going nova. When the first stars (which were truly massive and lived quite short lives) went nova, the rest of the periodic table appeared.

Right. Which results in the beautiful idea that most of the atoms in our bodies were created in the heart of a star. We quite literally are star stuff.

 

[scottmsg]

This is way beyond my level of understanding, but I'll give it a try. Atoms heavier than Iron are usually formed in supernovae by the r-process. Other atoms are formed by the s-process, which occurs very massive stars.

Flourine is an interesting case, since it is much rarer than other light elements. Here is an interesting article on the possibilities for Flourine creation.

 

[Bruce]

Re: Re: Why Atoms Exist

I'll defer to the Ph.Ds on this one.

It's a good thing you did!

My official answer as a PhD in Inorganic Chemistry:

Because they can.