• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • CommentGo Back
Download
 
ATOM AND SUBATOMIC PARTICLES
3- Not even an atom’s weight in the heavens and the earth, orsomething smaller or greater than it is hidden from Him, but all arein a clear record.34-Sheba, 3
 The atom is the smallest particle of matter. God drew attention to theexistence of the atom, laying emphasis on the importance of itsknowledge. A naked eye looking at a table, a carpet, a wall or a stonecannot fully grasp the importance of the atom and the knowledge itcontains. While the Quran stresses the importance of the atom, itemphasizes also the subatomic particles, “Or something smaller orgreater than.” In the expression “greater than” is comprised theknowledge of the greater compositions like molecules, the entirety of which is within God’s ken.Men contemporary with the Prophet could not possibly have knownthat in the atom and subatomic particles and their compoundsdifferent types of knowledge were comprised. The Quran asserts theomniscience of God. Drawing attention to the existence of the atomand the subatomic particles is relevant to the present day informationthat physics has discovered. The knowledge obtained today by means of cosmological physicsstudying the science of the origin and structure of the universe areinterrelated with the data of atomic physics. Another miraculous sign of the Quran is its referring to the weight (miskale in Arabic) of the atomwherever the word “zerre” (atom) is mentioned.
FROM VAST TO SMALLEST MAGNITUDES
Imagine you are eating a pizza with great relish. What are itsingredients? Sausage, cheese, mushrooms, tomatoes and flour. Whatare the constituents of these sausages, cheeses, mushrooms andtomatoes and what are the constituents of the constituents? Thisseries of questions leads us to molecules. The molecules themselvesare made up of atoms such as oxygen, hydrogen and carbon. Thencome protons and electrons, together forming eventually the nucleusof the atom... The entire universe is made of matter or energy. From the trunk of atree to its leaves, from the hands of a human being to his eyes, fromgolden ornaments to cotton dresses, everything is matter. The atom is
 
the individual structure that constitutes the basic unit of any chemicalelement. The proton is an elementary particle that is the positively chargedconstituent of ordinary matter, and, like the neutron, is the buildingstone of atomic nuclei. The electron is an elementary particle that isthe negatively charged constituent of ordinary matter. These are therecent discoveries of science that led us to the discovery of thetelevision, computer, Internet, etc. Take, for instance, a grain of sand inthe palm, which is assumed to be the simplest matter, and think of thequadrillion of atoms it contains; quadrillions of atoms you could notfinish counting throughout the span of your lifetime. Imagine that eachof these atoms has its electrons moving around the nuclei, like theplanets making their rounds around the sun. A quadrillion solarsystems contained within a grain of sand or piece of rock in your palm.An intelligent mind will readily conceive that there is nothing simple inthe universe. Be it a pizza or a rock, suppose that you fancyrecomposing them. To embark on such a huge project, you must goback to the very beginning, to the primeval explosion, and repeat theprocess. In this odyssey, you will run into atoms, cornerstones of theuniverse, entailing the existence of protons, electrons and neutrons;then you will be faced by the gaseous substance made of hydrogenand helium; these will be followed by stars and atoms produced inthese stars which will one day be transformed into the mushrooms,cheese and tomatoes of our pizza. In order to really make a pizza, weneed to create the entire universe with all the stages it had. The more you delve into the study of the atom the greater becomesyour wonder. Suppose a penny on the table is the nucleus of an atom. The orbit that the electron would trace around it would be at a distanceof 2-3 km. What is in between? The distance between the two, i.e., thenucleus and the electrons, is a vacuum. In other words, a piece of rockheld in our hand contains in it quadrillions of solar systems, but99.99% of it is a vacuum. Interesting, isn’t it?While we observed the fact that the universe was replete with orbits asdescribed in the verse (51-The Dispersing, 7), we witnessed theinfinitude of God’s power and magnitude. This divine power isdemonstrated through more than one hundred million galaxies, morethan a hundred million stars contained in each, countless planets andsatellites and their quadrillions of devised orbits. A grain of sand, then,contains quadrillions of miniature replicas of the solar system whereelectrons dance around the nuclei of quadrillions of atoms. Whatshould one deduce from this? To begin with, the incommensurablemagnitude of our Creator’s power is also observed in the depth of 
 
matter. Endless vastness has been created from these particles. Themotion of the atom is the same movement around the center of limitless magnitudes. The system in any given galaxy and the oneforming a particle of dust is the same system. The Author of that speckof dust is also the Author of the universe. All these phenomena point tothe immensity of His power and to the order reigning in the universe,as well as to the fact that nothing is casual in His creation. The creationof the smallest and of the biggest is equal for Him. The creation of apoint containing trillions of atoms and of immense space is equal forHim and difficulty is a notion not applicable for Him. There is no limit toHis wisdom and power.
27- And if all the trees on earth were made into pens, and the oceansupplied the ink, augmented by seven more oceans, the words of God would not run out. God is indeed Almighty and Wise.31-Luqmaan, 27 
INFINITESIMAL CONTENTS OF ATOMS
 The nucleus of the atom contains protons charged with positiveelectricity. These positive charges repel each other. The miracle of creation occurs when protons adhere to each other forming a singlepoint. The power that confines the protons repelling each other and theneutrons within a single point is immense; it is called strong nuclearforce. The elementary particles containing this force are referred towith the French epithet “gluons” meaning “sticky” (The immensedestructive energy of the atomic bomb was obtained by the use of thisforce). God, who devised everything in the universe with mathematicalprecision, has also conceived this immense force with mathematicalexactitude. This force adheres the mutually repelling protons to eachother; had the power been weaker or stronger, the protons coulddisintegrate or it could cause the intrusion of protons and neutrons intoeach other. The atomic bomb demonstrated tragically the immense power of theatom. It also showed that one of the factors that contributed to ourworldly existence is its intrinsic balance. Thanks to the welladjustedorder reigning in this field, matter does not disintegrate all of a sudden,giving rise to noxious effects of radiation. Another important factor thatcontributes to the stability of the atom is the weak force inherent in it. This force is particularly important in establishing the balance of thenuclei that comprise an excessive number of neutrons and protons.Electromagnetic force is another factor contributing to the existence of atom. It is this force that brings about the attraction of oppositelycharged particles and the repulsion of particles having like electric
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...