Atom: meaning, definitions and examples

Used when talking about the smallest unit of a chemical element that retains its chemical properties.

• Every element on the periodic table consists of atoms.
• Water is made up of hydrogen and oxygen atoms.

Used in the context of subatomic physics when referring to the basic building blocks of matter, such as quarks and electrons.

• Electrons are considered elementary particles.
• Physicists study elementary particles to understand the structure of the universe.

A broad term used to describe a small portion of matter, which can range from atoms to subatomic particles in various contexts.

• Dust particles floated in the sunlight.
• In physics, particles like protons and neutrons form the nucleus of an atom.

Refers to a group of atoms bonded together, representing the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound that can take part in a chemical reaction.

• A water molecule consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
• Molecules interact in various ways to form different substances.

Use 'atom' when referring to the basic unit of a chemical element that retains its properties. This term is often used in chemistry and physics.

• Water is made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
• The discovery of the atom changed our understanding of matter.

Use 'elementary particle' when discussing the fundamental constituents of matter that cannot be broken down into smaller components. This term is commonly used in high-energy physics and quantum mechanics.

• Electrons, quarks, and photons are examples of elementary particles.
• Scientists study elementary particles to understand the fundamental forces of nature.

Use 'particle' as a general term for any small piece of matter, including atoms, molecules, and elementary particles. This term can be used in various scientific contexts.

• Dust particles are often found in the air we breathe.
• In physics, particles such as electrons and photons interact with each other.

Use 'nucleus' when specifically talking about the central part of an atom, which contains protons and neutrons. This term is used in both chemistry and nuclear physics.

• The nucleus of a carbon atom contains six protons and six neutrons.
• Nuclear reactions involve changes in the nucleus of an atom.

Use in a general sense to describe a very small amount of something.

• She didn’t have an atom of doubt about her decision.
• Even the smallest atom of kindness can make a big difference.

Use in computing to refer to a standardized quantity of digital information, which can include bits, bytes, kilobytes, megabytes, etc.

• A kilobyte is a data unit equal to 1024 bytes.
• Understanding different data units is crucial for managing digital storage.

Use in computing to describe the most basic unit of information in computing, representing a binary value of either 0 or 1.

• A bit is the fundamental building block of digital information.
• This computer can process millions of bits per second.

Use in computing to describe a unit of digital information that consists of eight bits.

• A single character on a computer is usually represented by one byte.
• The file size is 10 megabytes.