The Appeal of Atomism
It is natural to try to explain the vast diversities that we see in terms of the arrangements and interactions of a small number of fundamental building blocks: atoms!
Atomism in Ancient Greece:
- Democritus: There are only atoms and the void. Apparent qualities are result of shape, arrangement, and position of atoms. Atoms remain unaltered. Gave us the name: atom - “indivisible”
- Explains the basic properties of matter
- Changes but is never created nor destroyed (in our ordinary experience)
- Solid: Atoms linked together
- Liquid: Atoms flowing around each other
- Gas: expands to fill any container because the atoms are in motion