Bruce, MENTOR Adult, Portugal 0 points (HYDROGEN)		May 12, 2009 23:10 I think you could say that molecules could be compressed to some extent - but not by very much. When atoms are close enough together to form bonds, like in a molecule, they might vibrate back and forth a bit but that's about it. At close range like that the negative charge of each atom's electrons repels the electrons of the other atom, and the strength of this repelling force becomes very large very quickly as you move the atoms closer together. If you are meaning could the atoms break their bonds, move past each other and form different bonds, I suppose it might be possible but you would need to be applying a really huge force.
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I think you could say that molecules could be compressed to some extent - but not by very much.
When atoms are close enough together to form bonds, like in a molecule, they might vibrate back and forth a bit but that's about it. At close range like that the negative charge of each atom's electrons repels the electrons of the other atom, and the strength of this repelling force becomes very large very quickly as you move the atoms closer together.
If you are meaning could the atoms break their bonds, move past each other and form different bonds, I suppose it might be possible but you would need to be applying a really huge force.

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