2007-05-25 16:17:03 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
An atom is the smallest piece of a given element that still has the same chemical properties of that element. For example, if you take one atom of gold and split it apart, it's not gold anymore.
Atoms are not the smallest particles of matter. An atom has a small central nucleus composed of protons* and neutrons*, with a surrounding "cloud" of electrons. (The only exception is Hydrogen, which has no neutrons.)
The number of protons in the atom's nucleus determines what element it is. The electrons, and their configuration, are what give the atom its chemical properties (how it interacts with other atoms). Typically there are the same number of electrons in an atom as there are protons in its nucleus.
*Protons and neutrons are composed of even smaller particles called quarks.
2007-05-25 16:28:07 · answer #1 · answered by Nature Boy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In chemistry and physics, an atom (Greek á¼ÏÎ¿Î¼Î¿Ï or átomos meaning "indivisible") is the smallest particle still characterizing a chemical element.[2] (átomos is usually translated as "indivisible" or "uncuttable." Until the advent of quantum mechanics, dividing a material object was invariably equated with cutting it.) Whereas the word atom originally denoted a particle that cannot be cut into smaller particles, the atoms of modern parlance are composed of subatomic particles
2007-05-25 16:39:32 · answer #2 · answered by sciencelikhita 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
1. Physics. a. the smallest component of an element having the chemical properties of the element, consisting of a nucleus containing combinations of neutrons and protons and one or more electrons bound to the nucleus by electrical attraction; the number of protons determines the identity of the element.
b. an atom with one of the electrons replaced by some other particle: muonic atom; kaonic atom.
2. Energy. this component as the source of nuclear energy.
3. a hypothetical particle of matter so minute as to admit of no division.
4. anything extremely small; a minute quantity.
2007-05-25 16:48:06 · answer #3 · answered by samswebsite 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Atom is the smallest particle of matter.
2007-05-25 16:21:42 · answer #4 · answered by dongskie mcmelenccx 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
the basic building block of life
2007-05-25 17:30:40 · answer #5 · answered by andrew johansen 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
in Greek it means "unable to divide"
2007-05-25 16:20:10 · answer #6 · answered by Hashish 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is the building block of matter
2007-05-25 18:09:32 · answer #7 · answered by Kristenite’s Back! 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋