EPTFirst-Ever Images of an Electron In Orbit - Page 2
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spinesheath
Germany8679 Posts
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shindigs
United States4795 Posts
On August 30 2011 03:09 Nqsty wrote: Some explanation on what this is exactly ? I can't quite make sense of these photos with my very limited knowledge on the matter The white portions are "electron clouds", but a more telling name would be electron probability clouds. To use the word "orbit" is sometimes misleading, because electrons don't orbit around atoms or molecules like planets orbit around the sun. Locating the position of an electron is best if you try to estimate the probability of where it will be at a particular time. These are what those clouds represent. Why this is amazing is the images they generated match the mathematical theory and models that we used to attempt to visualize these "orbitals". HOMO = Highest occupied molecular orbitals (the highest energy level where there are electrons) LUMO = Lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (the lowest energy where there are no electrons) --------- <----LUMO ----e---- <---- HOMO if e were to represent electrons -----e--- -----e---- | ||
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MaliciousMirth
United States96 Posts
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Bibdy
United States3481 Posts
Until now we've essentially been taking it with a pinch of faith, because the math worked. | ||
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Varpulis
United States2517 Posts
On August 30 2011 03:28 Bibdy wrote: I assume the bottom picture is theory and the top is empirical? If so, that is really cool. Great to see many years of theory finally get validated with empirical evidence. Until now we've essentially been taking it with a pinch of faith, because the math worked. correct. the top is the actual images and the bottom is the predictions of the mathematical model. It's incredible how accurately they match. On August 30 2011 03:38 GreEny K wrote: I guess it's a huge leap... Still looks like fuzz balls to me though. Guess you need an appreciation for for science and all that. Yeah, if you don't know anything about the subject, this will likely mean very little to you. | ||
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GreEny K
Germany7312 Posts
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enzym
Germany1034 Posts
On August 30 2011 03:38 GreEny K wrote: I guess it's a huge leap... Still looks like fuzz balls to me though. Guess you need an appreciation for for science and all that. Which you don't have…? Or what are you trying to say? o_o | ||
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See.Blue
United States2673 Posts
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ReturnStroke
United States801 Posts
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K_Dilkington
Sweden449 Posts
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Shockk
Germany2269 Posts
An atomic force microscope (AFM) isn't anything like an optical microscope that you simply look through to make small things appear bigger. Instead, it's more like a very very very very very small bit of charcoal that you can rub on tracing paper placed over a surface to view carved patterns that you wouldn't otherwise be able to see. The tip of an AFM (also called a probe) is so small that you need an electron microscope to even see it: ![[image loading]](http://dvice.com/assets_c/2011/08/atom_force_micro-thumb-330x264-69456.jpg) To operate, the tip of the AFM moves across a surface, and when it encounters an atom or a molecule, the tip bumps up a little bit as it passes over. This jiggles a laser beam, which records precisely how much the tip was deflected. By making a bunch of passes, the AFM can gradually build up a sort of topographic map of a surface. It's also possible to place a single atom on the very tip of the AFM's probe, and by watching how that atom interacts with the atoms that it passes over, you can tell what's underneath. Just imagine the level of precision neccessary to develop, manufacture, operate and record all of that. And think about the possibilites we could have if such machines couldn't just be used to scan, but instead to modify or create things on that scale. | ||
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insaneMicro
Germany761 Posts
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Animzor
Sweden2154 Posts
On August 30 2011 03:49 insaneMicro wrote: Did they really need to label that picture HOMO? Surely a better acronym could have been found~ Why? Because some 12year old kids might giggle at it? | ||
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garlicface
Canada4196 Posts
On August 30 2011 03:46 Shockk wrote: This is truly impressive, especially the "microscope" technology involved. Let me quote that part of the article: Just imagine the level of precision neccessary to develop, manufacture, operate and record all of that. And think about the possibilites we could have if such machines couldn't just be used to scan, but instead to modify or create things on that scale. This is what always excites me about atomic and molecular studies. | ||
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Orangu
Canada198 Posts
On August 30 2011 03:46 Shockk wrote: This is truly impressive, especially the "microscope" technology involved. Let me quote that part of the article: Just imagine the level of precision neccessary to develop, manufacture, operate and record all of that. And think about the possibilites we could have if such machines couldn't just be used to scan, but instead to modify or create things on that scale. WOO nano machines!!! GOGO BORG!!! | ||
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OrchidThief
Denmark2298 Posts
On August 30 2011 03:46 Shockk wrote: This is truly impressive, especially the "microscope" technology involved. Let me quote that part of the article: Just imagine the level of precision neccessary to develop, manufacture, operate and record all of that. And think about the possibilites we could have if such machines couldn't just be used to scan, but instead to modify or create things on that scale. AFM microscopes with near atomic resolutions has been around for a couple of decades now, we spent a good couple of weeks at first year of my physics bachelor using simple AFM microscopes to look at gold plates, or find carbonnanotubes on gold substrates. AFM microscopes work both ways and are frequently used to manipulate atoms in various ways.The reason that it's not really used much for anything practical is that it's extremely tedious work. Like this for instance (manipulation of a tin surface and replacing with silicon atoms): ![[image loading]](http://metamodern.com/b/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/atom_interchange_anim.gif) A couple of the first results from google about the subject: http://www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=1168.php http://metamodern.com/2009/03/14/afm-atom-manipulation-a-surprising-technique/ The reason that it's not really used much for anything practical is that it's extremely tedious work. | ||
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SnetteL
Belgium473 Posts
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KameZerg
Sweden1762 Posts
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Azrael1111
United States550 Posts
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Sanq
Turkey2 Posts
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