2 ms·
How about this: two objects are touching when the interaction forces between the objects are of similar magnitude to the interatomic forces within the objects.
by z2h-a6n 2y ago
How about this: two objects are touching when the interaction forces between the objects are of similar magnitude to the interatomic forces within the objects. Very generally speaking, this will happen when the distance between the objects is about the same as the distance between atoms within the objects.
- amelius 2y agoOk, so I conclude from this that touching is not an exact science.
- z2h-a6n 2y agoTo be somewhat pedantic: "touching" is a word. The extent to which it is or is not an "exact science" depends on what is meant by "touching", and by "exact science". The definition I gave of "touching" could be made arbitrarily more precise by specifying more precisely the interaction forces under consideration, and the level of precision to which one should compare their magnitudes. What you mean by "exact science" is something I cannot guess at with any useful level of precision. Whether or not any of this has any bearing on the original topic of discussion is another matter.
- amelius 2y agoI mean, the actual interaction force that defines "touching" is open for debate. Touching is an abstract concept, removed from actual physics.
- z2h-a6n 2y agoThat was sort of my point. If we use a definition of "touching" that is relevant to the atomic scale, whatever that definition is, we can reasonably talk about what "touching" means at an atomic scale. If we use a colloquial definition of "touching" which is meaningful for macroscopic objects but not at the atomic scale, it doesn't make sense to talk about "touching" at the atomic scale.