how come,if we are 99.9% empty space, how come we feel solid and can pick objects up?

Question: how come,if we are 99.9% empty space, how come we feel solid and can pick objects up?
- Keywords:
  human body,
  solid,
  state
Asked by 2000piggy to James, Marcus, Martin, Rob, Suzanne on 19 Mar 2012.
- Martin Zaltz Austwick answered on 19 Mar 2012:
  
  Most atoms and molecules have electrical charge in the form of electrons and protons. Most of the forces we experience in our everyday lives (that aren’t due to gravity) are due to these charges attracting and repelling one another. Things feel solid because when we push on something, the charges in the material repel the charges in our hand. So even though there’s a lot of empty space, we don’t put our hand through the table, thanks to the forces of electricity!
- Robert Thompson answered on 21 Mar 2012:
  
  Yes Martin explains it well, a good example is if you have two strong magnets you can bring them towards each other and feel the force long before they touch and there is often a lots of empty space between them.

2000piggy commented on 20 Mar 2012:

Thanks that helps alot

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Question: how come,if we are 99.9% empty space, how come we feel solid and can pick objects up?