The Illusion of Substance (Just for Fun)
One of the many amazing facts that we take for granted is that solid objects exist. I like the following analogy: Assume the nucleus of an atom is the size of a golf ball. Place it in the very center of a football field. Now, how far away are the electrons? The answer is that they are circulating about 50 yards distant (at the goal lines and way past the sidelines)! What this means is that atoms are essentially just “space”.
If this is true, then why do objects appear and feel solid? The reason is that the electrons are moving at a speed of over 99% of the speed of light. In a sense, they provide a force field around the nucleus that provides the “illusion of substance”.
Atoms are extremely small. Our bodies are made up of over octillion atoms (1, followed by 28 zeros). We are primarily (99%) comprised of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, calcium phosphorus & nitrogen atoms. While most of our atoms are oxygen, the 2nd most prevalent atom is carbon. The nucleus of a carbon atom is comprised of six protons and an average of six neurons (actually can vary from 2 to 12). And you guessed it, there are six electrons. Thus, the atomic number of carbon is 6.