+22 votes
in Atoms by
edited by

Your answer

Your name to display (optional):
Privacy: Your email address will only be used for sending these notifications.
+12 votes
by

The atoms in a solid do indeed vibrate, but the reason we can't feel these vibrations directly is due to the scale and nature of those vibrations.

Firstly, the vibrations of atoms in a solid occur at an extremely small scale. Atoms are on the order of picometers (10^-12 meters) in size, and their vibrations typically have amplitudes on the order of angstroms (10^-10 meters) or less. These vibrations are far too small to be detected by our senses, which are much more attuned to larger-scale movements.

Secondly, the vibrations of atoms in a solid occur at a very high frequency. The atoms vibrate at speeds of billions or even trillions of times per second, which is beyond the range of our sensory perception. Our senses are limited to specific ranges of frequencies, and we are not equipped to perceive such rapid oscillations.

Moreover, the vibrations of individual atoms in a solid are not transmitted through the material in a coherent manner. While the atoms vibrate, they are also interacting with neighboring atoms through intermolecular forces. These interactions result in the transfer of vibrational energy throughout the material, causing the vibrations to propagate as waves known as phonons. These phonons travel through the solid, but by the time they reach the surface or our skin, they have undergone multiple interactions and have lost much of their energy. Consequently, the vibrations are too weak to be felt by touch.

However, it's important to note that under certain conditions, we can indirectly perceive the vibrations of solids. For example, when a solid object is subjected to intense vibrations at frequencies within our perceptible range, we may feel the object as vibrating. Similarly, when vibrations propagate through the air and reach our ears, they can be perceived as sound. In these cases, the vibrations are amplified or transformed into a form that our senses can detect.

Welcome to Physicsgurus Q&A, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of the community.
...