In quantum mechanics, particles (like atoms and photons)ooze and change their states as they come into and leave contact with other particles. The behavior of a particularly stable subatomic particle, like an electron, is described by a continuous Schr\”{o}dinger equation in which the position, momentum, and energy of each particle is jointly indeterminate.
This strange and seemingly paradoxical behavior gives rise to the so-called Heisenberg uncertainty principle, which states that the more precisely you measure one of these properties, the less precisely you can measure the others. The indeterminacy principle was a shocking departure from classical physics, in which particles were assumed to have definite properties that could be measured with arbitrary precision.
In the decades since its inception, quantum mechanics has been extraordinarily successful in explaining the behavior of subatomic particles. It also forms the basis for our understanding of the strange and seemingly bizarre behavior of matter on the atomic and subatomic level.
Other related questions:
Q: Do atoms ever touch?
A: Atoms are constantly moving and they do touch, but they never actually touch each other. They are always separated by a small space.
Q: Can we touch electron?
A: No, we cannot touch electrons. They are too small and too fast moving to be touched.
Q: What is touch physics?
A: Touch physics is the study of how objects interact when they come into contact with each other. It includes the study of how forces are transmitted through objects when they touch, how different materials interact when they touch, and how touch can be used to create or change the properties of materials.
Q: What would happen if 2 atoms touched?
A: If two atoms touch, they would share electrons and form a bond.
Bibliography
- Quantum physics says that you can’t actually touch anything
- Why Physics Says You Can Never Actually Touch Anything
- How Quantum Mechanics Lets Us See, Smell and Touch
- Can We Really Touch Anything? – Medium
- Q & A: can things touch? – Physics Van
- Can Things Touch? | Physics Van | UIUC
- Do atoms ever actually touch each other?