Electron image from Volume I cover (created by ChatGPT)
Why does the world feel so solid?
Let me ask you a strange question. Do tables and chairs feel solid?
Did you know that inside tables, chairs, and all the atoms on our bodies…electrons are racing around at nearly two million meters per second.
So the question is this: If everything inside matter is moving that fast…why does the world feel so solid? A table feels solid. A chair feels solid. And yet—The solid world around us—tables, chairs, mountains, and people—is built from particles that never stop moving. Inside every atom—electrons are moving at nearly two million meters per second. That’s fast enough to circle the Earth in about twenty seconds.
Imagine something moving that fast… inside every atom in your body.
How many atoms are there?
Now think about this for a moment. Each of us is made of roughly 7 billion billion billion atoms joined together.
That’s more atoms than there are stars in the observable universe. And inside every single one of those atoms… electrons are racing around at unbelievable speeds. So here is the mystery. If everything inside matter is moving that fast… Why don’t we feel like we’re sitting on a cloud of chaos? Why is the world so wonderfully solid?
Let’s take two quick glimpses into the life of electrons.
(some of the material for this blog post comes from volume I of the "How Atoms form molecules")
What are electrons?
To understand electrons, we have to go back to the beginning of the universe. When the universe was born, it was pure energy—an immense ocean of light. As the universe expanded and cooled, that energy condensed into matter. The simplest particles appeared: protons, neutrons, and electrons. You can think of electrons as tiny drops of that original energy—still restless, still energetic.
Electrons carry a negative charge, and they are naturally drawn toward positive charges like protons. But here’s the interesting part. They never simply fall into the nucleus. Their motion keeps them suspended around it. It’s a bit like a satellite orbiting a planet.
Or—if you’ve ever tried to keep a bucket of water from spilling—you can swing the bucket in a circle over your head. The water stays in the bucket because it’s moving fast.
Electrons do something similar. Their motion creates stability.
If electrons move constantly, why does matter feel solid?
Let me give you an analogy. Imagine a square table with four legs. Now imagine that three of those legs disappear. The table should collapse, right? But suppose the remaining leg could move incredibly fast—jumping between the four corners of the table many millions of times per second. At any instant there is only one leg. But over time, it supports all four corners. The table stays upright.
Electron motion works in a similar way. Inside atoms, electrons move rapidly along organized paths. Nothing inside the atom is truly still. But the motion is so fast and so orderly that the structure appears stable. It’s a bit like watching a hummingbird’s wings. If you freeze the frame, the wings are in different positions every time. But to our eyes, the bird looks perfectly steady in the air.
Matter works the same way. Rapid motion creates stability.
how do atoms stick together?
Let’s take something simple: a water molecule. Two hydrogen atoms. One oxygen atom.
These atoms are held together by shared electrons. But those electrons are not sitting quietly between the atoms like glue. They are constantly moving. Imagine two people holding hands.
But the hands keep shifting position every fraction of a second. The grip changes… yet the connection remains. Multiply that by trillions of molecules. That dynamic dance is what builds water… ice… your bones… and even this table.
Matter is not static. It’s a beautifully organized dance of speeding electrons.
Why electrons follow certain paths.
Over the past few years, these questions pulled me deeper and deeper into the geometry and behavior of electrons.
Eventually they turned into two short books exploring how symmetry and motion shape the structure of atoms.
If you're curious to explore these ideas further, I’ve included links below.
The solid world around us—tables, chairs, mountains, and people—is built from particles that never stop moving.
Matter looks still. But underneath… the universe is dancing. And every one of us is made from that same dance. So the next time you rest your hand on a table…
Remember: inside it, electrons are racing around at two million meters per second. And somehow… that wild motion is what makes the world feel solid.
"How Atoms Form Molecules" series
- Volume I. Electrons: How They Navigate Around an Atom
- Volume II. Hydrogen and Helium Atoms and Their Bond