Electromagnetic forces govern the interactions between atoms from "summary" of Atoms Under the Floorboards by Chris Woodford
The interactions between atoms are like an intricate dance, with each atom moving and responding to the others around it. At the heart of this dance are the electromagnetic forces that govern how atoms attract or repel each other. These forces are the reason why atoms form bonds with one another, creating the molecules that make up everything around us. When two atoms come close together, the negatively charged electrons in one atom are attracted to the positively charged protons in the nucleus of the other atom. This attraction is due to electromagnetic forces, which pull the atoms towards each other. At the same time, the electrons in the outer shells of the atoms repel each other, creating a sort of pushback that keeps the atoms from getting too close. These electromagnetic forces are what hold atoms together in a molecule. For example, in a water molecule, the oxygen atom and the two hydrogen atoms are held together by electromagnetic forces. The electrons in the outer shell of the oxygen atom are shared with the hydrogen atoms, creating a stable structure. Without these forces, the atoms would simply drift apart, and the molecule would fall apart. In addition to holding atoms together in molecules, electromagnetic forces also play a role in how atoms interact with each other in more complex ways. When atoms come together to form a solid, for example, the electromagnetic forces between them create a lattice structure that gives the solid its shape and properties. These forces also determine how atoms interact in chemical reactions, where bonds are broken and new bonds are formed.- The interactions between atoms are all about electromagnetic forces. These forces dictate how atoms come together, stay together, and interact with each other on a fundamental level. Without them, the world as we know it would not exist. They are the invisible threads that hold everything together, from the smallest atom to the largest star.
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