What happens when you look at an electron?

When a quantum “observer” is watching Quantum mechanics states that particles can also behave as waves. In other words, when under observation, electrons are being “forced” to behave like particles and not like waves. Thus the mere act of observation affects the experimental findings.

What does an electron actually look like?

Along with all other quantum objects, an electron is partly a wave and partly a particle. An electron looks like a particle when it interacts with other objects in certain ways (such as in high-speed collisions). When an electron looks more like a particle it has no shape, according to the Standard Model.

Can we observe atoms?

Atoms are really small. So small, in fact, that it’s impossible to see one with the naked eye, even with the most powerful of microscopes. Now, a photograph shows a single atom floating in an electric field, and it’s large enough to see without any kind of microscope. 🔬 Science is badass.

Can scientists see atoms?

Is it possible to see a movie of an electron?

Now it is possible to see a movie of an electron. The movie shows how an electron rides on a light wave after just having been pulled away from an atom. This is the first time an electron has ever been filmed, and the results are presented in the latest issue of Physical Review Letters .

Is it true that no one has directly observed an electron?

So we have no blessed microscope which can magnify enough to see an electron. That on its own is enough to make one state that no one has “directly observed” an electron. If one dare dabble into Quantum Mechanics, the world gets even stranger.

How do we see electrons in space?

Due to the HUP, there is no way to ‘see’ electrons. That is why we use the modern electron cloud model of the atom these days, because we only know where electrons are likely to be, and never where they actually are. The electron cloud is really just a probability field.

Can the position of an electron be observed instantaneously?

While it can be observed instantaneously, it cannot be determined both where it is and its velocity. The speed of an electron can be observed, but not with knowing its position. The position of an electron can be observed, but not with knowing its velocity.