ELi5 How do sharp objects cut flesh? More in body

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So, we’re all made out of cells, right? And these cells are really super tiny, so why is it when we accidently cut ourselves, like a papercut or from glass, the sharp edge just doesn’t push the cells to the side?

Further, do those edges push aside out individual atoms too, or somehow have we just been avoiding death via splitting atoms?

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Anonymous 0 Comments

When you get a cut you mostly do just push the cells aside. Some of them will be damaged, but the majority are just pushed out of the way.

As for atoms, they really really hate touching other atoms. There are very strong forces that makes sure atoms are mostly empty space. So to actually cut an atom it takes extremely strong forces to overcome this.

Which is why nuclear bombs are initiated by a shaped charge of conventional explosives- it takes a bomb to force the atoms close enough together to start smashing into each other.

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