
Originally Posted by
Old Geezer
Yes, it does. The electrons exist in a 'cloud' all around the entire atom.
Even if you wish to consider the smallest atom, hydrogen, which has only a single electron, it's movement is SO rapid that the entire atom is still neturally charged. There's no 'effect' generated on one side as you are trying to depict.
I think the correct term is probability cloud, but of course you knew that, just clarifying :-D . They are in probability clouds at specific energy levels. In a hydrogen atom, for example, the electron is at the lowest energy level, correct me if I'm wrong but I think its called 1s level, and the "orbit" at that level is very small. But of course electrons and protons have an equal but opposite charge so they cancel each other out anyway, regardless of its position.