As an extra one, what would happen if one in every 10 atoms was to vanish from existence.

  • Buffalox@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    43
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    edit-2
    7 months ago

    That would result in an enormous outward pressure that would squash everything while heating it to extreme temperatures, resulting in near light speed expansion, and hurl almost all of the earth into space at extreme velocity. Instantly killing all life.

    • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      7 months ago

      It depends if the atoms also doubled in charge though - it’s very possible that doubling in volume alone wouldn’t have any perceptible impact.

        • Ephera
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          7
          ·
          7 months ago

          What they mean is that the size of an atom isn’t really defined. It’s got protons and neutrons in the middle, with electrons swirling around. Other atoms are kept at a distance, because the electrons repulse each other with their electric fields.

          If you double the size of the protons, neutrons and electrons, that alone would not double the strength of the electric field, so other atoms would generally stay at the same distance as before…