Atomic Vibrations

Well, yes. Consider the previous good answer, and Google space shuttle tile. You should see one part (the red hot one) vibrating like crazy, while the other part (dark) isn't.

If the matter is in liquid or gaseous form, I have the impression that the molecular temperatures (dependent on velocities) follow a Gaussian distribution. I see no reason why the vibrations in a solid should be any different.

So I believe the answer is yes.

GA. For all the atoms or molecules in a sample to behave identically (as in all vibrating at the same frequency), would seem to me to require a very complicated external control mechanism to keep them all at exactly the same temperature, and to keep all the electrons in fixed energy states. You might also find that you had to control the orientation of the molecules. My guess that something like that could be approached if the sample was held at a temperature close to zero degrees Kelvin, which would surely require a complicated external control. Limited randomness (within a Gaussian distribution) seems to be a basic natural property. So the answer would be that it is almost impossible for all the atoms in matter to vibrate at the same frequency. If you did succeed in this you might find the sample has unusual magnetic properties.

Hi,

"same temperature" ?

Temperature is only equivalent to velocity and related collision frequency that usually cannot be observed as too high in frequency.

orientation: yes, this is the basis of NMR anylysis, first orienting along a common direction, then bring most spins to be parallel, then observe the relaxation process and gyroscopic motion (frequency) in a powerful magtnetic field.

So, which vibrations are asked here?

RHABE

Hi,

do you really talk about atomic (electrons bound to atoms) vibrations - answered above- or molecular vibrations (atoms bound by forces/stiffnesses into molecules)?

Two-atomic molecules can only vibrate in the stretching mode, but three-atomic have stretching and torsional modes.

This is true for a gas of the stuff.

Solid, liquid, plasma have many more vibration modes.

RHABE

They may only be bouncing in the stretching mode, but you can find a lot of different "stretching" energy levels through the mole of the element (or compound).

"stretching energy levels" ?

Hi,

is this quantised as in Balmer/Rydberg spectral lines of excited electrons hopping back to nonexcited orbit? Which frequencies, wavelengths?

RHABE

Sure. That's the basis for IR analysis of organic materials. The frequency of vibration depends on the energy provided, bond type (covalent single, double, triple), and mass of the group vibrating (S-H bond, C=C-H group, etc. look in Infrared Correlation Chart No.1 and no. 2 in any CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics.

Of course, that's for organic MOLECULES, which are composed of atoms.

If you are talking plasma, or even a mole of , say, argon gas at any normal pressure and temperature, the atomic vibration is related to degrees Kelvin. I believe that's actually the definition of temperature, if you were to check it out.

Most definitely the atoms each have their own energy level. The temperature of 1 Mole of any substance is the weighted average of the individual atomic activities. In the case of a gas, you can build a hilsch vortex tube and separate the hot molecules from the cooler ones. (lets you heat the coffee and chill the soda with the same device.)