I was looking at some photos of different types of atoms,some were pointy others were round,oblong,ect... So what am I really looking at here? is it the collapsed wave functions of all the electrons probability tracks around the nucleus? Or is it just a few electrons orbiting very fast in a magnetic field to create the fuzzy illusion of an atom? Or something else?

 

The electron microscope uses electrons. Of course, hence the name.

What you see would be the negative charge boundary around the atom rather than the actual atom itself. To an electron, the electron shell about other atoms is impenetrable. The electron could join another atoms electron shell or if energetic enough dislodge one and create an atom with an electric charge(an ion), but could not return true information about the visible arrangement of subatomic particles inside the atomic nucleus. A 'picture' of such things is just not possible. Like trying to see whats inside a bowling ball by bombarding it with golf balls. Futile by definition.

 

I was looking at some photos of different types of atoms,some were pointy others were round,oblong,ect... So what am I really looking at here? is it the collapsed wave functions of all the electrons probability tracks around the nucleus? Or is it just a few electrons orbiting very fast in a magnetic field to create the fuzzy illusion of an atom? Or something else?

It sounds like you're referring to atomic orbits:

http://winter.group.shef.ac.uk/orbitron/

 

Those are mathematical constructs used to help the mind 'picture' the complexities of the electron 'shells', the energy levels of those shells, and also can help explain the various ways in which atoms combine into compounds and why one compound might be a more likely result than another, when both seem equally likely to be formed in a reaction

 

It sounds like you're referring to atomic orbits:

http://winter.group.shef.ac.uk/orbitron/

Thanks for the link! It answers a lot of my questions.Good on ya mate!

 

Those are mathematical constructs used to help the mind 'picture' the complexities of the electron 'shells', the energy levels of those shells, and also can help explain the various ways in which atoms combine into compounds and why one compound might be a more likely result than another, when both seem equally likely to be formed in a reaction

I understand what your talking about here but what I was seeing was actual photos of atoms. I cant remember with what apparatus the photos were taken with but it was clearly actual images of atoms,the electron clouds were different shapes for different compounds and elements and I'm just curious as to why they are like that?

 

Think hard about "actual photo" You mean a quick snap with an iPhone or what?

 

There may be several answers to this.

One answer is that when physicists look for what kind of math agrees with how atoms seem to behave, that math predicts the electron orbital shapes that are usually shown in physics textbooks, with spheres, lumps, doughnuts, pointy shapes, etc.

Another answer is that it seems that some physicists are actually getting photos of atoms, and the photos agree with the shapes the math predicts.

http://physicsbuzz.physicscentral.com/2009/09/first-detailed-photos-of-atoms.html

Currently, they use a field-emission electron microscope for this, but I'm sure an iphone app is under development and will be available real soon.

 

this can also helpfull.....

http://www.notes4all.com/Nuclear.Physics.P1.htm

 

Think hard about "actual photo" You mean a quick snap with an iPhone or what?

Google image, (actual photos of atoms) and you will see what I mean.

 

this can also helpfull.....

http://www.notes4all.com/Nuclear.Physics.P1.htm

Thanks mate! Ive bookmarked this site,theirs some good reading there.