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Atom - Dictionary Definition and Overview |
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Atom : (noun)
1: (physics and chemistry) the smallest component of an element
having the chemical properties of the element
2: (nontechnical usage) a tiny piece of anything [syn: molecule,
particle, corpuscle, mote, speck]
Based on WordNet 2.0
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Atom : \At"om\, v. t.
To reduce to atoms. [Obs.] --Feltham.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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Atom : \At"om\, n. [L. atomus, Gr. ?, uncut, indivisible; 'a priv.
_ ?, verbal adj. of ? to cut: cf. F. atome. See Tome.]
1. (Physics)
(a) An ultimate indivisible particle of matter.
(b) An ultimate particle of matter not necessarily
indivisible; a molecule.
(c) A constituent particle of matter, or a molecule
supposed to be made up of subordinate particles.
Note: These three definitions correspond to different views
of the nature of the ultimate particles of matter. In
the case of the last two, the particles are more
correctly called molecules. --Dana.
2. (Chem.) The smallest particle of matter that can enter
into combination; one of the elementary constituents of a
molecule.
3. Anything extremely small; a particle; a whit.
There was not an atom of water. --Sir J. Ross.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
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Atom : Atom: The smallest part of any material that cannot be broken up by chemical means. Each atom has a center (the nucleus) which contains protons and neutrons. Electrons orbit around the
nucleus. The atom is primarily empty space.
If the nucleus of an atom were the size of the button on a baseball pitcher's cap, the electrons would be like dust particles revolving around the outside of the baseball stadium.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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