Atom: meaning, definitions and examples

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atom

[ ˈætəm ]

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chemistry

The smallest component of an element, characterized by its chemical properties.

Synonyms

elementary particle, molecule, particle

Examples of usage

A molecule of water consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
Carbon atoms can bond together to form various compounds.
The number of protons in an atom determines its atomic number.

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physics

The basic unit of a chemical element, consisting of a nucleus containing protons and neutrons, surrounded by electrons.

Synonyms

elementary particle, nucleus, particle

Examples of usage

The nucleus of an atom contains positively charged protons and neutral neutrons.
Electrons orbit around the nucleus of an atom in specific energy levels.
Isotopes of an element have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons in their atoms.

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computing

A fundamental unit of data storage in computing, typically representing a single piece of data.

Synonyms

bit, byte, data unit

Examples of usage

In computer programming, a byte is composed of 8 bits, each of which is represented by an atom of data.
An atom in a database table corresponds to a single value in a record.
The smallest addressable unit of memory is considered an atom in computing.

Translations

Translations of the word "atom" in other languages:

🇵🇹 átomo

🇮🇳 परमाणु

🇩🇪 Atom

🇮🇩 atom

🇺🇦 атом

🇵🇱 atom

🇯🇵 原子 (げんし)

🇫🇷 atome

🇪🇸 átomo

🇹🇷 atom

🇰🇷 원자

🇸🇦 ذرة

🇨🇿 atom

🇸🇰 atóm

🇨🇳 原子 (yuánzǐ)

🇸🇮 atom

🇮🇸 atóm

🇰🇿 атом

🇬🇪 ატომი

🇦🇿 atom

🇲🇽 átomo

Word origin

The word 'atom' originates from the Greek word 'atomos', meaning indivisible. The concept of atoms as the fundamental building blocks of matter dates back to ancient Greek philosophers such as Democritus. In the 19th century, John Dalton developed the modern atomic theory, which proposed that elements are composed of small, indivisible particles called atoms. The discovery of subatomic particles like protons, neutrons, and electrons further expanded our understanding of the structure of atoms.