Glass is Solid… So Why Is It Clear?

Summary

This video explores why objects, including humans, aren't transparent despite atoms being mostly empty space. It explains how light interacts with atoms, focusing on energy levels and how photons either pass through or get absorbed. Visible light passes through materials like glass, while X-rays can pass through our bodies. The video also discusses electrostatic repulsion, which explains why we can feel and touch objects, even though atoms are mostly empty. Finally, it touches on chemical bonds that keep molecules intact, making this complex topic a bit clearer. Stay curious!

Takeaways

• 🌐 If the Earth were an atom, its nucleus could fit inside a baseball stadium, with the rest of the planet being where electrons exist.
• 🌈 Atoms consist of a tiny nucleus surrounded by a 'wave-y, quantum-y cloud' of mostly empty space.
• 🔦 We are transparent to certain types of light, like X-rays, but not to visible light because our bodies absorb visible light.
• 💡 The transparency of glass to visible light is due to the specific energy levels of its atoms, which don't match the energy of visible light photons.
• 🌞 UV light has enough energy to be absorbed by the electrons in glass, making glass opaque to most UV light.
• 🚫 The reason we don't pass through solid objects is due to electrostatic repulsion between the electron clouds of close atoms.
• 🤚 The sensation of touch is caused by the force of electrostatic repulsion acting on pressure-sensitive nerves in our skin.
• 🔬 Atoms can appear to occupy the same space if their electrons have opposite 'spin' properties.
• 🔗 Covalent chemical bonds form when electrons from different atoms occupy overlapping quantum-y cloud energy levels.
• 🌉 The molecules that make up our body, the internet's fiber optic cables, and the glass of our screens all rely on the properties of light and electron interactions.

Q & A

Why does the Earth not resemble a giant atom despite its composition?

The Earth doesn't resemble a giant atom because the nucleus of an atom is very small compared to the overall size of the atom, which is mostly empty space where electrons exist in a quantum cloud. The Earth's mass and size are much larger than that of an atom.

Why doesn't light pass through solid objects like bricks or steel?

Light doesn't pass through solid objects like bricks or steel because the electrons in the atoms of these materials absorb the energy of visible light, preventing it from passing through.

Why are we not transparent to visible light?

We are not transparent to visible light because the atoms that make up our bodies absorb visible light photons, preventing them from passing through.

How does glass manage to be transparent to visible light?

Glass is transparent to visible light because the energy levels of the electrons in its silicon and oxygen atoms are spaced in such a way that visible light photons do not have enough energy to be absorbed, allowing them to pass through.

What causes glass to be opaque to most UV light?

Glass is opaque to most UV light because the energy of UV photons is sufficient to be absorbed by the electrons in the glass atoms, causing them to jump to higher energy levels.

How does the energy of light affect its interaction with atoms?

The energy of light affects its interaction with atoms by determining whether the light can be absorbed or not. If the light's energy matches the energy difference between two electron energy levels, it can be absorbed; otherwise, it passes through.

Why can't we pass through solid objects like the ground?

We can't pass through solid objects like the ground because the electrons in our atoms repel the electrons in the atoms of the ground due to electrostatic repulsion, preventing our atoms from getting close enough to pass through.

What is the sensation of touch and how is it created?

The sensation of touch is created by the force of electrostatic repulsion between the electron clouds of two objects as they get close to each other, acting on pressure-sensitive nerves in our skin.

How can two negatively charged electrons occupy the same energy level?

Two negatively charged electrons can occupy the same energy level if they have opposite spins, a property that allows them to share the same quantum state without violating the Pauli exclusion principle.

What is the role of covalent chemical bonds in the structure of materials?

Covalent chemical bonds allow atoms to share electrons, creating strong connections that hold the atoms together in molecules, which is essential for the structure and function of materials like the ones in our bodies, camera lenses, and fiber optic cables.

Why does visible light pass through glass but not UV light?

Visible light passes through glass because it doesn't have enough energy to be absorbed by the electrons in the glass atoms, while UV light has enough energy to be absorbed, making glass opaque to most UV light.