Question

why atoms are invisible

Answer 1

Atoms are not invisible, they are just too small for us to see.

Answer 2

oh yeah :) why a microscope fails

Answer 3

because any microscope can resolve the things if the size of the object is of the order of the wavelength of the probe used (e.g light waves, electron beam etc). since the wavelength associated is greater than the size of the atoms thats why it is invisible. quantum tunneling microscope can resolve the atomic structure.

Answer 4

in microscope they use visible light is it

Answer 5

can we use xrays or gamma rays whose wavelength is much smaller than atom... as probes

Answer 6

electron microscope uses electron beam as a probe. X-rays and gama rays are used to find out the atomic structure but not as a microscope but in spectroscopy.

Answer 7

oh so we cant see atoms using just visible light

Answer 8

so the minimum dimension we can see using just visible light is ~400 nm which is the wavelength of violet is it

Answer 9

yes. as per the existing theory. but we can increase the resolution of a microscope for visible light as well if we place an object in an oil of high refractive index between objective and object.

Answer 10

ohkk but still we cant see an atom its too small. thnks :)

Answer 11

:-)