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Re: [Phys-l] Prising electrons from the atom



I don't think it's adhesion, just differences in Fermi levels.

bc admittedly rather hazy about this.


On 2008, Dec 17, , at 18:14, sridhar chitta wrote:

I received this from School champions forum:

Although a very sharp tool is able to cut common materials, examining its
point under a microscope will show that its diameter is many atoms thick.
Thus it with not be effective in breaking away electrons from an atom.

On the other hand, molecular forces like adhesion, which is used in static
electricity will easily pry away electrons from a material.
Sridhar

On Thu, Dec 18, 2008 at 7:42 AM, sridhar chitta
<sridhar10chitta@gmail.com>wrote:

2) Why cannot a hammer and chisel that can exert a force of say, 100
Newtons be used to prise an electron away from the nucleus of a copper
atom
in a copper bar given that the radius of an atom is of the order of
10-10meters and the electric force of attraction between a proton and

cut