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Because of the vibration of matter. Billions of atoms are densely packed together to make a solid, and they're all constantly moving and vibrating, giving you the impression it's completely solid when in reality there is some empty space.

However if you get into quantum theory you start to get ideas that suggest that if you sit in one place long enough you have a probability of just phasing right through it, which is kind of silly at first, but mathematically possible.

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14y ago
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4mo ago

While atoms themselves are mostly empty space, the electromagnetic forces between the negatively charged electrons and positively charged protons create a strong repulsion that gives matter a "solid" feeling when objects make contact. This feeling comes from the resistance caused by these electromagnetic interactions.

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Q: If an atom is mostly empty space why does matter seem so solid?
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Related questions

What is the empty space where gas molecules are not located?

The empty space could be filled with liquid or solid matter.


Is an atom mostly filled with matter?

no it's mostly filled with empty space.


Why can we state that most of the volume of matter such as the tabletop you are writing on is actually empty space?

Most of the volume of matter, like a tabletop, is considered empty space because the atoms that make up matter are mostly empty space themselves. Atoms consist of a small, dense nucleus surrounded by electrons orbiting at a relatively large distance from the nucleus. So while matter may appear solid, it is mostly made up of empty space within the atomic structure.


Did Dalton's Atomic Theory state that matter is mostly empty space?

No, Dalton's Atomic Theory did not specifically state that matter is mostly empty space. Instead, it proposed that matter is composed of indivisible particles called atoms, which are the building blocks of all substances.


The reason a granite block is mostly empty space is that the atoms in the granite are?

Yes, this is essentially true. Well over 99.9% of the mass of any atom is in the nucleus. The electrons in their orbitals around that nucleus actually determine the spacial volume that the atom occupies. And on an atomic scale, the distance from the nucleus to the outer boundaries of the electron cloud is enormous. The atom is mostly empty space, and, therefore, anything made up of atoms is mostly empty space.


What is a volume of space that is empty of matter?

There may not be any such place, but the farther you get from stars (including ours) the less matter you find. Presumably between galaxies you might find very empty space. Such a volume of space is called a 'vacuum'.


Are gold atoms composed of mostly matter or empty space?

All atoms are mostly empty space, as the electromagnetic repulsion between atomic nuclei keep them from reaching each other (except under extreme pressure, as in the center of stars).


Is outer space mostly empty space?

Yes, it is.


Is space a solid or a liquid?

Both. The upper mantle is solid and the lower mantle is liquid.


In which state of matter do the particles spread apart and fill all the space available to them?

Very probable this space is empty, is vacuum.


How The universe is mostly made up of what a. Gases c. Dust b. Empty Space d. Stars?

D: Empty space.


What is the Milky Way mostly made of?

Empty space - there is a hypothetical probability that the spaces between stellar objects can be filled with "dark matter".