Well not really in nature but the most direct way to observe atoms I’m aware of is graphene. It’s exactly one layer of atoms thick, it’s impossible to create graphene that is half as thick, or 1.5 as thick, it’s always whole numbered multiples of a single layer. And that can be visually seen as a single layer is quite transparent but two layers is already much more opaque and there is no way to get a state inbetween
This reminds me of a question that Steve Mould asked in one of his videos a year or two ago: “What does a proton taste like?” And, weirdly enough, he gave a very satisfying answer. You see, the human tongue is able to detect four different tastes, sweetness, saltiness, bitterness, and sourness. And each of these detect different chemical indicators. Sweetness detects sugars, saltiness salts, bitterness toxic chemicals, and sourness acids.
Now, every acid has one thing in common: a positive hydrogen ion that it can easily give up. And, if your child knows enough about hydrogen, they’ll know that this atom consists of a single proton with a single electron going around it. Remove that electron and you just have a proton.
So how do protons taste? Sour!
Latest Answers