Woman: ARE YOU CERTAIN? Man: OF COURSE. YOU FOUND THEM IN EVERYTHING? YES, SIR. THEY'RE TINY, THEY'RE FILLED WITH EMPTY SPACE AND THEY ARE THE FUNDAMENTAL BUILDING BLOCKS OF ALL MATTER. SO... IF WE COULD SOMEHOW CONTROL THE MARKET ON THESE THINGS JUST THINK OF THE POSSIBILITIES. BUT... SIR, YOU'RE... YOU'RE... YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT... ♪ BILL NYE, THE SCIENCE GUY ♪ ♪ BILL NYE, THE SCIENCE GUY ♪ ♪ BILL, BILL, BILL, BILL, BILL, BILL ♪ ♪ BILL NYE, THE SCIENCE GUY ♪ Woman: <i> SCIENCE RULES.</i> ♪ BILL NYE, THE SCIENCE GUY ♪ <i>INERTIA IS A PROPERTY OF MATTER.</i> ♪ BILL, BILL, BILL, BILL ♪ ♪ BILL NYE, THE SCIENCE GUY ♪ ♪ BILL, BILL, BILL, BILL ♪ <i> "T" MINUS SEVEN SECONDS.</i> ♪ BILL NYE, THE SCIENCE GUY. ♪ Announcer: <i> BROUGHT TO YOU BY ELEMENTS...</i> THIS DOOR, THIS TIE, THIS KEYPAD AND THIS GUY ARE ALL THINGS. AND THINGS ARE MADE OF STUFF-- TINY PIECES OF STUFF. Announcer: <i> RUN!</i> OH! NO. I MEAN TINY, TINY PIECES OF STUFF... MUCH TINIER THAN YOU CAN SEE WITH THE HUMAN EYE. NOW, LOOK AROUND AND COUNT HOW MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THERE ARE. YEAH. COUNT EVERYTHING. THERE'S TIRES AND TUBAS. THERE'S KIDS AND COWS. THERE'S WOOD AND THERE'S FORESTS. THERE'S FISH IN THE SEA. THERE'S STARS IN THE SKY. THERE'S EVEN... KITCHEN SINKS. YOU CAN COUNT THOUSANDS, MILLIONS, BILLIONS OF THINGS. WE CALL ALL OF THIS STUFF "MATTER." AND IT TURNS OUT THAT IF WE BREAK MATTER DOWN TAKE IT COMPLETELY APART ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE MADE OF JUST A FEW THINGS. (<i> imitating motorcycle engine</i> ) (<i> tires skid</i> ) (<i> crash</i> ) IMAGINE CUTTING A PIECE OF CHEESE IN HALF. THEN... IN HALF AGAIN. AND IN HALF AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. AND AGAIN. EVENTUALLY, YOU'D END UP WITH A PIECE TOO SMALL TO CUT. THERE'D BE NO KNIFE SHARP ENOUGH. TINY, TINY PIECES THAT COULDN'T BE BROKEN APART ANY FARTHER. THEY'D BE UNBREAKAPARTABLE. WE CALL THEM "ATOMS." THAT'S FROM A GREEK WORD THAT MEANS "UNCUTTABLE." ATOMS ARE TOO SMALL TO SEE EVEN WITH A REGULAR MICROSCOPE LIKE THIS. HERE IS A MODEL, OUR FIRST LOOK AT AN ATOM. NOW, HERE ARE THE MAIN PARTS. WELL, THEY'RE PARTICLES. SEE, PARTS, PARTICLES... GET IT? ANYWAY, IN THE MIDDLE ARE VERY HEAVY PARTICLES. AND BUZZING AROUND THE MIDDLE ARE VERY LIGHT PARTICLES. NOW, IF WE COULD SEE AN ATOM IT COULDN'T LOOK ANYTHING LIKE THIS BECAUSE ATOMS ARE MOSTLY EMPTY. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. IT'S OUR... NOW, THIS PART ISN'T VERY GIANT. THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S JUST THE NUCLEUS THE MIDDLE OF AN ATOM. IN HERE ARE TWO KINDS OF PARTICLES-- PROTONS AND NEUTRONS. NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THEY WOULD REALLY LOOK LIKE. THE PROTONS HAVE A POSITIVE ELECTRICAL CHARGE LIKE A SPARK. AND THE NEUTRONS HAVE NO CHARGE. THEY'RE NEUTRAL. THEY JUST HANG OUT IN THE NUCLEUS. NOW, BUZZING AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE NUCLEUS ARE<i> VERY</i> SMALL PARTICLES CALLED ELECTRONS. MAYBE YOU'VE HEARD OF THEM. THE FLOW OF ELECTRONS FROM ONE ATOM TO ANOTHER IS CALLED ELECTRICITY. (<i> popping</i> ) IF THIS VIBRATING, BUZZING BALL IS THE NUCLEUS OF AN ATOM HOW FAR AWAY DO YOU THINK THE ELECTRON WOULD BE? WELL, AS FAR AS YOU COULD JUMP? NO? AS FAR AS YOU COULD THROW A BALL? UH-UH. AS FAR AS YOU COULD RUN? WELL, YEAH. TAKE A LOOK. YOU CAN SEE IT FROM HERE. IT'S WAY OUT THERE. THE ELECTRON WOULD BE HERE. 500 METERS. FIVE SOCCER FIELDS FROM THE NUCLEUS. SO, EVERYTHING THAT'S MADE OF ATOMS EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN TOUCH AND FEEL IS MOSTLY EMPTY SPACE. EMPTY SPACE. EMPTY SPACE. EMPTY SPACE! NOW, THE ELECTRON WEIGHS... OH, A TEN-THOUSANDTH OF THOSE PARTICLES IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GOING AROUND SO FAST THAT IT'S ONLY HERE NOW AND THEN. IT'S HERE. AND THEN HERE. AND THEN... AND THEN... I GOT TO GO. Narrator: <i> AN ATOM CONSISTS OF ITS NUCLEUS</i> <i> AND SEVERAL ROTATING ELECTRONS</i> <i> THAT REVOLVE</i> <i> AROUND THE NUCLEUS.</i> IF ATOMS ARE MOSTLY EMPTY SPACE HOW COME WHEN I JUMP ON THIS CRATE THE ATOMS IN MY FEET DON'T PASS RIGHT THROUGH THE ATOMS OF THE CRATE? EVEN THOUGH THE ELECTRONS ARE FAR APART THEY REPEL EACH OTHER SO STRONGLY AND THEY'RE WHIPPING AROUND THE NUCLEI SO FAST THAT THEY MAKE THE ATOMS ACT LIKE A SOLID. IT'S KIND OF THE WAY THIS FAN ACTS LIKE A SOLID EVEN THOUGH THE FAN BLADES ARE REALLY FAR APART. (<i> whirring</i> ) SEE? THE PAPER WON'T GO THROUGH. ATOMS ARE MOSTLY EMPTY SPACE! OH-WHOA! SO, HOW SMALL IS AN ATOM ANYWAY? THIS SMALL? SMALLER. THIS SMALL? SMALLER. HOW ABOUT THIS SMALL? NOT EVEN CLOSE. COME ON, IT CAN'T BE ANY SMALLER THAN THIS. OH, IT'S WAY SMALLER THAN THAT. NO! YES! ATOMS ARE SO SMALL THAT YOU COULD PUT ONE MILLION ON THE PIN OF THIS HEAD. I MEAN, THE HEAD OF THIS PIN. WHO YOU CALLING A PINHEAD? NO ONE. "A" IS FOR ATOM. THAT'S RIGHT. "A" IS FOR ATOM, BECAUSE ATOMS ARE<i> THE</i> BASIC BUILDING BLOCKS OF ALL MATTER. ATOMS ARE LIKE THE LETTERS IN THE ALPHABET OF THE UNIVERSE. SO, LOOK WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE COMBINE THESE LETTERS. WE GET WORDS. ATOMS ARE LIKE LETTERS AND MOLECULES ARE LIKE WORDS IN OUR UNIVERSAL ALPHABET. Girl: HEY, SCIENCE GUY... HUH? EVEN A BANANA CREAM PIE? OH, YEAH. EVEN A BANANA CREAM PIE. ATOMS...! ATOMS EVERYWHERE! I'M SURROUNDED BY ATOMS! HOW DO WE KNOW THAT ATOMS COMBINE TO MAKE MOLECULES? WELL, PLEASE... THIS IS H2O. (<i> sighs</i> ) WATER... (<i> gasps</i> ) (<i> squeaking</i> ) TWO PARTS HYDROGEN AND ONE PART OXYGEN. WHEN THE ATOMS COME TOGETHER THEY STICK. OKAY, BUT-BUT HOW DO WE KNOW? WELL, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. IN HERE, WE HAVE SOME WATER... AND WE'RE PASSING ELECTRICITY THROUGH IT. WHEN WE DO, WE GET TWO GASES. IF WE LET IT GO LONG ENOUGH, THERE'LL BE NO WA... UH... <i> LIQUID</i> LEFT AT ALL, JUST THE GASES AND THEY'RE PURE. THEY'RE EACH MADE OF ONE KIND OF ELEMENT. ON TOP OF THAT THERE'S TWICE AS MUCH OF THIS GAS AS THIS GAS. BY DOING A LOT OF EXPERIMENTS LIKE THIS SCIENTISTS HAVE FIGURED OUT THAT W... UH... H2O... IS... (<i> squeaking</i> ) TWO PARTS HYDROGEN AND ONE PART OXYGEN WITH THE HYDROGENS ON ONE SIDE AND THE OXYGEN ON THE OTHER KIND OF LIKE MOUSE EARS. Man: <i> UH-HUH.</i> SEE? H2O IS GREAT. THE OCEAN IS MADE OF H2O. YOU AND I ARE FULL OF H2O. IT'S WILD! IT'S WONDERFUL! IT'S... WATER! YOU KNOW, A FELLER COULD HAVE SEEN THAT COMING. WELL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME ON "CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING." SEE YOU REAL SOON. (<i> laughs</i> ) Girl: <i> HERE'S A COOL EXPERIMENT</i> YOU CAN DO TO SEE THE SPACES <i> BETWEEN</i> MOLECULES OF WATER. FIRST, TAKE A EMPTY POP BOTTLE AND FILL IT WITH EXACTLY ONE CUP OF WATER. ADD ANOTHER CUP OF WATER. Man: <i> HI, MOM.</i> MARK THE TWO-CUP LEVEL WITH A MARKER. NOW, DUMP OUT THE WATER. Man: <i> WHY DO I</i> <i> HAVE TO DO</i> <i> ALL THE WORK</i> <i> AROUND HERE?</i> <i> HERE YOU GO.</i> <i> YOU'RE WELCOME.</i> NOW, ADD A CUP OF WATER TO THE BOTTLE. DROP IN SOME FOOD COLORING SO YOU CAN SEE IT BETTER. GET YOUR PARENTS TO HELP YOU ADD ONE CUP OF 99% RUBBING ALCOHOL-- THE KIND YOU GET AT THE PHARMACY. ONE PLUS ONE DOESN'T ALWAYS EQUAL TWO. THERE ARE SPACES BETWEEN THE ALCOHOL MOLECULES LITTLE POCKETS WHERE THE WATER MOLECULES CAN FIT. SO WHEN YOU MIX A CUP OF WATER WITH A CUP OF ALCOHOL YOU DON'T GET TWO CUPS. IT'S A MOLECULE THING. YOU CAN LEARN A LOT ABOUT MOLECULES JUST BY MIXING THEM TOGETHER. WHAT MAKES ONE ATOM DIFFERENT FROM ANOTHER? Man: <i> THE NUMBER OF PROTONS</i> <i> IN THE NUCLEUS?</i> THE NUMBER OF PROTONS IN THE NUCLEUS. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS PIECE OF METAL. IT'S SHINY-- LIKE SILVER. NOW HERE'S ANOTHER PIECE OF METAL. IT'S SHINY, TOO BUT IT'S A BIT ORANGE-COLORED-- LIKE GOLD. YOU CAN TELL THEY'RE BOTH METALS. YOU CAN LOOK AT THEM, RUB THEM AND BANG ON THEM. (<i> low and high-pitched</i> <i> clanging</i> ) Man: <i> UH, BILL?</i> NOW, THIS MATERIAL TURNS OUT TO BE ALUMINUM... AND THIS MATERIAL TURNS OUT TO BE COPPER. NOW, THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS MATERIAL AND THIS MATERIAL IS... Man: <i> THE NUMBER OF PROTONS</i> <i> IN THE NUCLEUS?</i> THE NUMBER OF PROTONS IN THE NUCLEUS. YOU CAN SEE AND HEAR THE DIFFERENCES. (<i> low and high-pitched</i> <i> clanging</i> ) <i> BILL...</i> <i> HEY!</i> SCIENTISTS HAVE GROUPED ALL THE DIFFERENT MATERIALS-- ALL THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS THAT WE CAN FIND-- INTO GROUPS WHICH HAVE COME TO BE CALLED "PERIODS." WE'VE ARRANGED THE PERIODS ON A TABLE-- THE PERIODIC TABLE. LET'S GO TO THE CHART. Man: <i> THE PERIODIC TABLE.</i> THE TABLE. THE PERIODIC TABLE. VIOLA! THE PERIODIC TABLE. EVERY ELEMENT HAS A NAME. YOU KNOW MOST OF THEM. THERE'S... THEY'RE FAMILIAR BUT THERE'S SOME WEIRD ONES, LIKE... SCIENTISTS HAVE GIVEN EACH ELEMENT A ONE OR TWO-LETTER SYMBOL AND A NUMBER. THAT'S THE ATOMIC NUMBER. <i> THE NUMBER OF PROTONS</i> <i> IN THE NUCLEUS?</i> THE NUMBER OF PROTONS IN EACH NUCLEUS. NOW, THERE ARE 92 ELEMENTS THAT OCCUR NATURALLY AND USING THESE ELEMENTS WE CAN MAKE ALL KINDS OF INTERESTING MOLECULES. NOW, GET A LOAD OF THIS ONE. NITRO GLYCERIN-- THE HIGHLY EXPLOSIVE OILY LIQUID USED FOR MAKING DYNAMITE. (<i> explosion</i> ) (<i> coughing</i> ) IT'S ALL DONE... (<i> coughing</i> ) ...WITH MOLECULES. OKAY... WHAT YOU GOT? N-A C-L. SALT. YOU? H-2-O. WATER. BEAT THIS. C-6 H-12 O-6. SUGAR. THAT<i> IS</i> HARD TO BEAT. WELL, WHAT<i> YOU</i> GOT? <i> MOI?</i> ONLY... C-10-H-14... O. All: OIL OF SPEARMINT?! (<i> cackling</i> ) YOU DIRTY CHEAT! JUST PLAYED THE CARDS I WAS DEALT. OH, YEAH? YEAH. WHAT'S THIS? (<i> groans</i> ) MY NAME IS WARREN BUCK AND I'M A NUCLEAR PHYSICIST AND I STUDY INSIDE OF ATOMS INSIDE THAT MOUND. WE'RE ABOUT A HUNDRED FEET UNDERNEATH THE TOP OF THAT MOUND OUTSIDE AND WE'RE INSIDE THE EXPERIMENTAL HALL WHERE WE STUDY THE INSIDE OF ATOMS. AND TO STUDY THOSE ATOMS, WE NEED A GIANT MACHINE. THIS GIANT MACHINE IS LIKE AN ELECTRONIC EYEBALL AND IT SEES INSIDE OF THE ATOMS. INSIDE THE NUCLEUS INSIDE OF A PROTON, INSIDE OF A NEUTRON WE HAVE QUARKS. THIS ROOM IS FOR KICKING THE ELECTRONS TO HIGHER AND HIGHER ENERGIES SO THAT WE CAN SHINE THEM, DIRECT THEM ONTO ATOMS TO FIND OUT THE MOTION OF THOSE ATOMS. BY THE TIME THE BEAM ARRIVES HERE IT'S TRAVELING ALMOST AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT. ONCE THE ELECTRON BEAM GETS ENOUGH ENERGY FROM THE ACCELERATOR IT'S DELIVERED TO THE TARGET. THIS IS WHERE THE ACTION IS. ATOMS ARE STRUCK BY THE ELECTRON BEAM AND BROKEN INTO SMALLER PIECES. THOSE SMALLER PIECES ARE WHAT WE STUDY. ALL THE INFORMATION FROM THOSE BIG MACHINES ARE CHANNELED TO THIS ROOM. THAT INFORMATION TEACHES US NEW THINGS ABOUT THE NUCLEUS OF AN ATOM. AND BEYOND THAT, WHAT QUARKS ARE MADE OF. IT'S A VERY, VERY INTERESTING QUESTION. I LOVE LOOKING DEEPER AND DEEPER INTO MATTER SEEKING THE FUNDAMENTAL BUILDING BLOCKS OF THE UNIVERSE. (<i> crying</i> ) Man: <i> BILL?</i> (<i> whimpering</i> ) Man: <i> WHAT'S THE MATTER, BILL?</i> EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING... IS MATTER. EXCEPT ENERGY, OF COURSE. THAT'S RIGHT. EVERYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE IS EITHER ENERGY OR MATTER. MATTER OR ENERGY. ENERGY OR MATTER. MATTER OR ENERGY. ENERGY OR WHAT? OR MATTER. OR MATTER. (<i> echoing</i> ): MATTER, MATTER... SEE, LIKE... THAT'S ENERGY. THIS TORCH IS MADE OF ATOMS AND MOLECULES. THAT'S MATTER. EVERYTHING THAT'S A THING IS MATTER-- LIKE THIS HOT DOG. THE HOT DOG IS MATTER BUT THE HEAT THAT COOKS IT IS ENERGY. SO, REALLY NOTHING'S THE MATTER. EXCEPT, UH... I'M GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SOME MUSTARD. <i> LET'S GET SOME MUSTARD</i> <i> OVER HERE.</i> AND A BUN. <i> GET HIM A BUN, TOO.</i> OH, LOOK! NOTHING'S THE MATTER. ENERGY AND MATTER. WHAT A GREAT COMBINATION. Man: <i> THAT'S VERY NICE.</i> SEE THIS AMUSEMENT RIDE MADE OF TOY PARTS? IT'S LIKE A MOLECULE. AND EACH PART IS LIKE AN ATOM. ATOMS ARE THE SMALLEST PIECES OF STUFF THAT'S STILL STUFF. TINY, TINY PIECES OF STUFF! ATOMS! ATOMS ARE THE BUILDING BLOCKS... OF ALL MATTER. ...ALL MATTER. ALL MATTER IS MADE OF ATOMS AND MOLECULES. EVEN A BANANA CREAM PIE. ATOMS! ATOMS ARE EVERYWHERE! THIS IS A MODEL OF A CARBON ATOM. YOU SAY, "WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?" WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? IT'S CARBON, OKAY? CARBON IS EVERYWHERE! CARBON IS IN EVERY LIVING THING. CARBON'S IN THE TREES. CARBON'S IN THE GRASS. CARBON IS IN YOU AND ME IN THE COWS IN THAT BULL. CARBON IS IN THE HORSES. CARBON IS ALL OVER-- EVEN IN THE AIR. CARBON IS WHAT MAKES LIFE GO! GO! GO! CARBON MAKES THE CHEMICALS OF LIVING THINGS. CARBON IS SO IMPORTANT, WE'VE NAMED A BRANCH OF CHEMISTRY AFTER CARBON: ORGANIC CHEMISTRY. "ORGANISM." "ORGANIC." ARE YOU WITH ME? ORGANISM. ORGANIC. OKAY? IT'S VITAL. IT'S IMPORTANT. DON'T SAY, "WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL ABOUT CARBON?" CARBON IS THE KEY TO LIFE! YOU HAVE GOT, GOT, GOT TO RESPECT THAT. ♪ DOO-DOO-DOO ♪ ♪ DOO, DOO-DOO-DOO ♪ ♪ DOO-DOO-DOO, DOO, DOO-DOO-DOO ♪ ♪ DOO-DOO-DOO ♪ ♪ DOO, DOO-DOO-DOO ♪ ♪ DOO-DOO-DOO ♪ ♪ MY HAT OR A FLOWER ♪ ♪ THE WATER, A SHOWER, SOME COFFEE OR A BICYCLE ♪ ♪ A FROZEN POPSICLE, COMBINATION ♪ ♪ ATOMIC COMBINATION ♪ ♪ MATTER'S COOL, IT'S MADE WITH MOLECULES ♪ ♪ AND DID YOU EVER THINK ABOUT THE MOLECULES? ♪ ♪ THE BOND IS VERY COOL, VERY, VERY COOL ♪ ♪ THE STARS AND PLANETS ARE MADE OF ♪ ♪ ARE MADE OF AN ATOM COMBINATION ♪ ♪ AND THOSE ATOMS ARE SO TINY THAT YOU NEVER SEE THEM ♪ ♪ LIKE HYDROGEN AND CARBON AND OXYGEN ♪ ♪ WE KNOW THAT THEY EXIST 'CAUSE WE SEE HOW THEY REACT ♪ ♪ AND THERE'S ONLY 92 OF THEM ♪ ♪ YOU KNOW THAT ATOMS ALL COMBINE ♪ ♪ THEY MAKE UP MOLECULES ♪ ♪ MATTER IS ALL AROUND ♪ ♪ ATOMS, ATOMS... ♪ THAT'S OUR SHOW. THANKS FOR WATCHING. IF YOU'LL EXCUSE ME, I'VE GOT SOME ATOMS AND MOLECULES TO DISSOCIATE AND RECOMBINE. SEE YA! (<i> crunching</i> ) <i> PRODUCED IN ASSOCIATION WITH...</i> WHERE YOU GUYS GOING? THERE'S ATOMS AND MOLECULES HERE. THIS IS FABULOUS. YOU AND I ARE MADE OF ATOMS AND MOLECULES. ATOMS AND MOLECULES-- I MEAN, SUIT YOURSELF. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HANG OUT, YOU KNOW AND ENJOY SOME LOVELY MOLECULES, THAT'S FINE. YOU JUST GO AHEAD. YOU JUST GO NUTS, KNOCK YOURSELF OUT. 'CAUSE I'LL SEE YOU GUYS DOWN THE ROAD. DON'T KID YOURSELF. THE ROAD'S MADE OF MOLECULES. OH, YEAH. SO IS THAT VEHI... EVERYTHING. YOU AND I ARE MOLECULES. THE TELEVISION'S MOLECULES. THE SUN THAT'S BRINGING THE ENERGY DOWN HERE-- THAT'S MOLECULES. YEAH. SURE IT IS. DON'T KID YOURSELF... <font color="#ffff00"> Captioning sponsored by</font> <font color="#ffff00"> DISNEY EDUCATIONAL PRODUCTIONS</font> Captioned by <font color="#00ffff"> Media Access Group at WGBH</font> access.wgbh.org Bill: <i> ...TINY PIECES OF STUFF!</i> <i> ATOMS ARE VERY SMALL.</i> SEE YA REAL SOON. (<i> giggling</i> )