Introduction to Matter

Image of Iron Atoms on CopperThe greenish-blue peaks in this picture are individual atoms of iron on a background of copper. This amazing image was made by a scanning tunneling microscope. It’s the only kind of microscope that can make images of things as small of atoms. The invention of the scanning tunneling microscope was so significant that its inventors got a Nobel prize for it. Why is being able to see atoms so important? Atoms are the basic building blocks of all the matter in the universe. You will learn more about atoms and matter when you read this book.