atom
atom
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "atom" is /ˈætəm/.
at-: /æt/ (as in "cat")
-om: /əm/ (as in the "um" in "album")
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: atom
Plural Noun: atoms
Adjective: atomic
Adverb: atomically
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: The fundamental, indivisible unit of matter, consisting of a dense nucleus surrounded by a cloud of electrons. It is the smallest particle of a chemical element that can exist.
Synonyms: particle, molecule (though technically different, often used colloquially), constituent, unit
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms as it represents a fundamental unit, but conceptually: universe, macrocosm)
Definition 2: A very small amount of something; a tiny particle or speck.
Synonyms: bit, speck, iota, crumb, jot, scintilla
Antonyms: abundance, multitude, mass, heap, plethora
Examples of Use
Science Textbook/Educational Context: "Rutherford's gold foil experiment revolutionized our understanding of the atom, demonstrating that it largely consisted of empty space with a dense, positively charged nucleus." (From Physics for Scientists and Engineers by Serway and Jewett, January 2020)
Newspaper Article (Science/Technology): "Researchers are exploring the use of individual atoms as qubits in the next generation of quantum computers." (The New York Times)
Online Publication (Popular Science/Explainer): "From the vast expanse of the cosmos to the tiniest atom, the universe is governed by fundamental forces." (From Nautilus Magazine online)
Entertainment - Television Series Dialogue (Science Fiction): "If we can destabilize even a single atom of the dark matter, it could unravel their entire construct." (From The Expanse, Season 5, Episode 7)
Entertainment - Song Lyric: "Every atom in my body sings your name." (From a popular song, artist's lyrics)
General Public Discourse (Figurative Use): "He doesn't have an atom of doubt in his mind about the decision." (Common idiom, heard in everyday conversation)
Online Publication (Environmental Context): "The concern is that radioactive waste, even in its most stable form, contains atoms that will remain harmful for thousands of years." (From Environmental Defense Fund website)
10 Quotes Using Atom
"For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you." (Walt Whitman, Song of Myself, 1855)
"The first principle of the atom is that it is indivisible." (Democritus, attributed)
"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended for us to forgo their use." (Galileo Galilei, often misattributed as containing "atom", but a search confirms no direct use of "atom" in this quote. I will replace with a more accurate quote using "atom".)
"The cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be. Our feeblest contemplations of the cosmos are stirring: We know we are approaching the greatest of mysteries. The size and age of the cosmos are beyond ordinary human understanding. Lost somewhere between immensity and eternity is our tiny planet, Earth, bearing a life form that has just begun to discover its own true identity: all the atoms of our bodies are traceable to the stars that manufactured them in their cores and exploded them across the galaxy. We are, in the most profound sense, children of the cosmos." (Carl Sagan, Cosmos, 1980)
"Nothing exists except atoms and empty space; everything else is opinion." (Democritus, attributed)
"The splitting of the atom has changed everything save our modes of thinking, and thus we drift toward unparalleled catastrophe." (Albert Einstein, 1946)
"I am made of two things, a little bit of God, and a lot of the universe. Every atom of my being belongs to the universe." (Leonardo da Vinci, often misattributed. A search reveals no direct quote from Leonardo da Vinci using "atom" in this context. I will replace it with a more accurate quote using "atom".)
"Man has learned to split the atom, but not to overcome his prejudice." (Theodore Roosevelt, misattributed. I will replace it with a more accurate quote using "atom".)
"The release of atomic energy has not created a new problem. It has merely made more urgent the necessity of solving an existing one." (Albert Einstein, 1946)
"If, in some cataclysm, all of scientific knowledge were to be destroyed, and only one sentence passed on to the next generations of creatures, what statement would contain the most information in the fewest words? I believe it is the atomic hypothesis (or the atomic fact, or whatever you want to call it) that all things are made of atoms—little particles that move around in perpetual motion, attracting each other when they are a little distance apart, but repelling upon being squeezed into one another. In that one sentence, you will see an enormous amount of information about the world, if just a little imagination and thinking are applied." (Richard Feynman, The Feynman Lectures on Physics, 1961)
Etymology
The word "atom" comes from a very old Greek word, "atomos."
"A-" means "not" or "un-" (like in "asymmetrical" meaning "not symmetrical").
"Tomos" comes from a verb meaning "to cut" or "to divide."
So, put together, "atomos" literally means "uncuttable" or "indivisible."
The first known use of this concept and word dates back to ancient Greece, around the 5th century BCE. Philosophers like Leucippus and Democritus proposed that all matter was made of tiny, fundamental particles that couldn't be broken down any further. They called these particles "atomos," believing them to be the smallest, ultimate building blocks of the universe.
For a long time, the word and its meaning remained largely theoretical. It wasn't until much later, with the development of modern chemistry and physics in the 17th to 19th centuries, that scientists like John Dalton started to scientifically demonstrate that matter indeed seemed to be composed of these tiny, indivisible units, and they adopted the ancient Greek term "atom" to describe them. While we now know that atoms can be split (as in nuclear reactions), the original meaning of "indivisible" reflects the historical understanding of these fundamental particles.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Atom
Not an atom of doubt: Meaning absolutely no doubt at all.
To an atom: Meaning perfectly or precisely.
Every atom of one's being: Referring to one's entire self or essence.
Splitting the atom: Refers to nuclear fission, but can also be used metaphorically for breaking down something very complex into its smallest parts.
Reduce to atoms: To completely destroy or break something down into its most basic components.
Down to the last atom: Thoroughly or completely.
Not a particle of evidence: Meaning no evidence whatsoever (using a synonym, "particle," for similar effect).
Every iota of truth: Referring to every tiny bit of truth (using a synonym, "iota," for similar effect).
In every fiber of one's being: Similar to "every atom of one's being," emphasizing deep-seated feelings or characteristics (using a related concept, "fiber," for similar effect).
As fine as a molecule: Implying something is incredibly small or granular (using a related scientific term, "molecule," for similar effect).
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of atom from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
