Dear Readers: How do we know for sure what a atom looks like? What makes scientist so sure there are neutrons or protrons circleing and atom. Do we have technologies to see all of this or have we theorized this because it all makes sense and works in our minds and chalkboards. Do have have the ability to see things that small? Can we see moles and other particles or is it undisputed theory? I often wonder this and welcome explainations.:shrug::shrug:
But we can see atoms with the microscopes we have today. Here is one picture of an atoom. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
The neutrons and protons are in the nucleus; the electrons do the circling (kinda). We know this because of a series of experiments that proves it. There were several different models of the atom put forward. Ernest Rutherford did the definitive experiment that proves atoms have a nucleus with electrons circling, about 100 years ago. Both. The theories came first, then the experiments to test the theories. Some theories turned out to be wrong; others turned out to be correct. That's how science works. It's worth thinking about how we can see big things. Once you understand that, then you'll start to understand how we can see very small things, like atoms.
