4 ms·
Those "clouds" are probability clouds. It means that the electron should be in the vicinity of the cloud at any given time. Also, consider that an electron is
by speek 17y ago
Those "clouds" are probability clouds. It means that the electron should be in the vicinity of the cloud at any given time.
Also, consider that an electron is 1/1000 the size of a proton.
- flipbrad 17y agoactually, if you consider that afm is directly detecting charges, I guess we're talking about more than probability here - that picture ought to be a (rough) record of where the charges in that molecule were as the AFM needle passed over the molecule in that 20hr period
- ars 17y agoElectrons in an atom don't have a [specific] location. It's not a concept that exists for them. So, yes, it's a probability. Despite the common image, electrons don't orbit the nucleus like planets around the sun. They sort of exist around the entire thing in all locations at the same time (in 3D, not in a ring, but a shell).