Apples, iron, water, even your body. Everything in the world is made of tiny bits you can’t see, called “atoms.”
Atom (a tiny bit that things are made of)Electron (holds hands with the atom next door)
Drag the magnifying glass to peek at different spots. Move it outside the object to see the air, too.
This is air. Air is made of atoms too, but they’re spread out and flying around on their own.Inside the apple… it’s packed with atoms! Electrons hold hands between them to make the apple’s shape.Iron atoms line up neatly. Electrons hold them together tightly, so iron is hard.Water atoms wiggle and move around. They hold on loosely, so water can change shape.
2Zoom in closer and closer
Let’s use a magnifying glass to zoom in on the spot where a finger touches an apple.
A finger touched an apple. They look pressed right together. Slide the knob to the right to zoom in!Closer up… the finger and the apple both have bumpy surfaces.Even closer… tiny bits packed in rows! These bits are called “atoms.”When atoms face each other… look, there’s a gap! The finger’s atoms and the apple’s atoms aren’t touching.
3Inside an atom
In the middle of an atom is a “plus” bit. Around it, “minus” electrons zoom about like a fuzzy cloud.
Wow! Atoms are almost completely empty. If the middle bit were a grain of rice, the whole atom would be bigger than a football stadium.
4Holding hands with electricity
Plus and minus pull on each other. So atoms hold hands using electricity and stick together in a clump. That’s what “things” really are!
Grab an atom and pull it. What happens if you turn off the electricity?
Even if you pull, they’re holding hands, so they spring right back.Even if you pull, they’re holding hands, so they spring right back.Electricity back on: they hold hands again and turn back into a clump!They let go and flew apart! Without electricity, things can’t keep their shape.
5What “touching” really is
Move the atom on the left (your finger) to the right and bump it into the apple’s atom.
Still far apart. Try moving closer!Still far apart. Try moving closer!The minus clouds are getting close and starting to push back!The apple got pushed and moved! But the atoms never touched. That’s what “touching” really is!Nnngh…! Minus and minus don’t like each other, so they push apart.Can’t get any closer! This push-back is what your finger feels as “touching.”
Gap
Push-back
6Summary and quiz
Summary
Things are made of tiny “atoms” gathered together.
Atoms hold hands with electricity, so things keep their shape.
Even when you think “I touched it!”, the atoms aren’t stuck together. You’re feeling minus and minus pushing each other away.