Sure, you think the world is full of solid objects.
世界充满了固体物质，你可能对此深信不疑。
You think theradio you're listening to is solid.
你会以为，你正在听的收音机是固体的；
You think the floor you'restanding on or the chair you're sitting in is solid.
你正站在上面的地板是固体的；你正坐在上面的椅子是固体的。
Heck, you probably think that you yourself are a solid object. Wrong.
嘿，你可能说，我自己也是固体呀。可惜，你错了。
One of the strangest things modern atomic theory has shownus is that what we commonly take to be the world of solidobjects is for the most part empty space.
现代原子理论带给我们最大的惊奇是，通常被认为是固体的东西其实大部分都是空隙。
That's right.
确实是这样。
Even something as reliable as a table, a brick, a baseball, even yourbody, is by and large just empty space.
即使是像桌子，砖头，棒球，甚至你的身体，这些看起来实实在在的东西，其主要构成都是空隙。
Why is that?
为什么这么说呢？
It's because you, the baseball, and everything else is made up of atoms.
这是因为你也好，棒球也好，其它的任何东西也好，都是由原子构成的，
And atoms themselves are mostly empty space…
而原子本身大部分都是空隙。
But wait! What about the protons and neutrons and stuff?
不过，等一下！你可能会问，不是还有质子、中子吗？
Well, they're in there, but only in the very center. That's called the nucleus.
它们又在哪里呢？别着急，它们还是在那里，不过只在正中间一点点地方。所以它们被称为原子核。
An atom's nucleus is surrounded by a cloud of orbiting electrons.
原子核的周围环绕着一团按轨道运行的电子群。
Virtually all the mass of the atom—the stuff and not the fluff-is in the nucleus.
事实上，粗略地说，原子的重量就是原子核的重量，
And the nucleus is incredibly tiny compared tothe overall size of the atom.
尽管与整个原子相比，原子核小得不可思议。
In fact, it's about a hundred thousand times smaller.
具体地说，原子核比原子小十万倍。
It's like aspeck of dust floating around inside a cathedral.
形象地说，原子核与原子就如同一粒漂浮的微尘与大教堂，
In between the dust speck and the cathedral walls is nothing but space.
而灰尘和教堂的墙壁之间没有任何东西-全是空隙。
So you are made up of things that are mostly empty space, with occasional specks floating inthem.
所以你就是由这样的东西构成的：它们基本上都是空隙，几颗微尘漂浮其间。
Does it make you feel kind of empty, too?
这是否让你感到某种空虚？
Don't worry. Every other object in the world,from a pebble to Mount Everest, is the same way.
别担心。世上所有一切，从小小的鹅卵石到巍巍喜马拉雅山，也都是这样构成的。
