How to Stuff 170 Atoms Inside a Single Atom
How to put 170 atoms in an atom
Atoms are mostly empty space—the nucleus is tens of thousands of times smaller than the electron's orbital. By exciting an electron to a far-out orbit, scientists create a 'Rydberg atom' over 1000 times wider than normal. Then, using a Bose-Einstein condensate to cool other atoms to near absolute zero, they can trap them inside that inflated orbital, forming a bizarre 'Rydberg polaron.' In 2018, researchers did this with strontium, and simulations suggest up to 170 atoms could fit inside one atom, offering new insights into quantum mechanics.
So yes, you can fit a bunch of atoms in an atom.
- tromp
> So in 2018, an international team of scientists created a BEC out of strontium atoms, and hit one of those atoms with a carefully tuned laser, exciting its outermost electron and turning it into a Rydberg atom. Several other atoms from the BEC were caught within between that outer electron’s inflated orbital.
This is not so much putting 170 atoms in one, but inflating one beyond the size of its 170-atom neighbourhood.
The hard part being to cool the neighbourhood to such an extremely low temperature that the inflated atom doesn't ionize.
- simonebrunozzi
The article, rather shallow, is about Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC).
I found it a bit more interesting that the author's middle name is Galileo, and that he is participating in a "blogging" residency [0]:
Inkhaven residency: A 30 day residency for you to grow as a writer.
For one month, you'll publish a blogpost every day. Or pack your bags.
- JoeAltmaier
Wait - if the 170 atoms are a Bose-Einstein Condensate, then they are really just one atom. That's the whole deal with Condensates.