--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is more empty space in the book…" description: "\"“There is more empty space in the book you're holding, than book. The electrons in the atoms of the book are moving so fast, they give the illusion of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/peter-mcwilliams-2236_books_there-is-more-empty-space-in-the-book-yo_875187.png" --- # There is more empty space in the book you're holding, than… ![“There is more empty space in the book you're holding, than book. The electrons in the atoms of the book are moving so fast, they give the illusion of solid ink on solid paper. It's not. It's just an illusion. If all the electrons would stop moving for even an instant, the book would not just…” quote by Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/peter-mcwilliams-2236_books_there-is-more-empty-space-in-the-book-yo_875187.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/peter-mcwilliams-2236_books_there-is-more-empty-space-in-the-book-yo_875187.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1e2/peter-mcwilliams-2236_books_there-is-more-empty-space-in-the-book-yo_875187.png) > ““There is more empty space in the book you're holding, than book. The electrons in the atoms of the book are moving so fast, they give the illusion of solid ink on solid paper. It's not. It's just an illusion. If all the electrons would stop moving for even an instant, the book would not just crumble into dust, it would disappear. Poof”” [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Matter is mostly empty; what we perceive as solid is the result of constantly moving particles creating an illusion of substance. **In simple terms:** Everything is mostly empty space; solids are an illusion. Key Takeaway Recognize the impermanence of material things. Themes physics perception impermanence illusion Mood wonder contemplative philosophical Type scientific reflective inspirational When to use this quote - reading a book - handling objects - scientific education - meditation on impermanence Key Concepts Quantum mechanics philosophy of reality relativity Questions to Reflect On - How does this view change your relationship with possessions? - What practical implications arise from seeing matter as mostly empty? A Different Perspective The analogy may oversimplify quantum behavior and ignore macroscopic stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atoms Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atoms-book-993566/) [Book Electrons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book-electrons-993563/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Electrons Stop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/electrons-stop-993565/) [Empty space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empty-space/) [Holding Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holding-book-749256/) [Illusion Electrons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion-electrons-993564/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [..holding a book but reading the empty spaces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/holding-a-book-but-reading-the-empty-spaces/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I was in the South of France. I saw a Brownie on a school trip. She was holding up a book. It said on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carr/i-was-in-the-south-of-france-i-saw-a-brownie-on-a-school-trip-she-was/) [Jimmy Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carr/) > [“He is holding a book. Inside the book is the Universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/he-is-holding-a-book-inside-the-book-is-the-universe/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“ Hey,Alex." I composed the words in my head. " I have your book..." D'oh.I would be standing there, holding his book. "Alex.Thought you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-jensen/hey-alex-i-composed-the-words-in-my-head-i-have-your-book-d-oh-i/) [Melissa Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-jensen/) > [“But holding a book always puts me at ease, knowing a happy ending is between my fingertips.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenni-l-walsh/but-holding-a-book-always-puts-me-at-ease-knowing-a-happy-ending-is/) [Jenni L. 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Our true nature is vast, all-comprehensive, and intangible as empty space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anagarika-govinda/our-real-nature-is-not-our-imaginary-limited-ego-our-true-nature-is/) [Anagarika Govinda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anagarika-govinda/) > [“Love. Such a sweet, simple word. A word I've been searching for my entire life - but especially since I met Eio - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-khoury/love-such-a-sweet-simple-word-a-word-i-ve-been-searching-for-my/) [Jessica Khoury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-khoury/) ## More by Peter McWilliams > [Heroes became heroes flaws and all gives us hope. 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Information goes in, gets shuffled about, and comes out in new and interesting ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/one-of-the-great-joys-of-life-is-creativity-information-goes-in-gets/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Nausea is an unsolved problem of medicine and marijuana is the finest anti-nausea medication known to science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/nausea-is-an-unsolved-problem-of-medicine-and-marijuana-is-the-finest/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Worrying is the interest paid on a debt you may not owe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/worrying-is-the-interest-paid-on-a-debt-you-may-not-owe/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [Be easier on yourself, on everyone, on everything. Suspend your judgments on the way things should be, must be, and ought to be. 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People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. 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