atoms
Matter's smallest pieces
Atoms are the smallest units of matter that retain the properties of a chemical element.
Everything physical is made of atoms—your body, the air, the ground beneath you.
An atom consists of a nucleus surrounded by electrons.
The word often signals fundamental particles or tiny amounts: There isn't an atom of truth in what he said.
To split the atom is to release nuclear energy, or figuratively, to accomplish something requiring extreme precision.
Too small for eyes
- nanoscaleBillionth-meter dimension
- angstromSubatomic length unit
- picometerTrillionth of a meter
- tinyExtremely small in size
invisible · innumerable · countless · indivisible · fundamental · building block · matter · particle
Negative subatomic particle
- protonPositive nuclear particle
- neutronUncharged nuclear particle
- nucleusCentral controlling part
- quarkFundamental matter particle
lepton · boson · hadron · muon · gluon · neutrino · positron · antimatter
Nuclear breakup releasing energy
- fusionJoining into unity
- reactorControlled fission apparatus
- radioactiveEmitting nuclear decay particles
- decayGradual organic breakdown
half-life · chain reaction · critical mass · uranium · plutonium · radiation · alpha · beta
Systematic display of elements
- hydrogenSimplest atomic element
- oxygenElement eight, colorless gas
- carbonSixth element, atomic symbol C
- nitrogenElement seven, colorless gas
helium · neon · iron · gold · silver · copper · uranium · plutonium
Sharing electrons between atoms
- ionicConcerning charged particles
- hydrogenSimplest atomic element
- metallicResembling ore-based elements
- moleculeBonded atomic group
compound · valence · octet · sigma · pi · polar · nonpolar · polarity
Quantum state's mathematical representation
- uncertaintyState of being unsure
- probabilityQuantified chance of occurrence
- superpositionCoexisting in multiple states
- wave-particleQuantum duality concept
orbital · energy level · quantum mechanics · photon · absorption · emission · spectral · discrete
Unable to be divided
- voidWithout legal effect
- fundamentalForming the base
- reductionismExplaining wholes through parts
- materialismPrioritizing goods over spirit
microscopic
Too small for eyes
tiny · invisible · innumerable · countless · indivisible · fundamental · building block · matter · particle · minuscule
electron
Negative subatomic particle
quark · lepton · boson · hadron · muon · gluon · neutrino · positron · antimatter · ion
fission
Nuclear breakup releasing energy
- fusionJoining into unity
- reactorControlled fission apparatus
- radioactiveEmitting nuclear decay particles
decay · half-life · chain reaction · critical mass · uranium · plutonium · radiation · alpha · beta · gamma
periodic table
Systematic display of elements
- hydrogenSimplest atomic element
- oxygenElement eight, colorless gas
- carbonSixth element, atomic symbol C
nitrogen · helium · neon · iron · gold · silver · copper · uranium · plutonium · calcium
covalent
Sharing electrons between atoms
- ionicConcerning charged particles
- hydrogenSimplest atomic element
- metallicResembling ore-based elements
molecule · compound · valence · octet · sigma · pi · polar · nonpolar · polarity · electronegativity
wavefunction
Quantum state's mathematical representation
- uncertaintyState of being unsure
- probabilityQuantified chance of occurrence
- superpositionCoexisting in multiple states
wave-particle · orbital · energy level · quantum mechanics · photon · absorption · emission · spectral · discrete · quantized
indivisible
Unable to be divided
- voidWithout legal effect
- fundamentalForming the base
- reductionismExplaining wholes through parts
- sciencebiology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, geology
- existenceexistence, being, lives, reality, life
- Physical Sciencesphysics, chemistry, astronomy, geology, meteorology
- discoveriesbreakthrough, scientific discovery, finding, uncovering, detection
- popular physicslayman's terms, Einstein, Feynman, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Carl Sagan
- science classbiology, chemistry, physics, lab, experiment
atomsquarks
Fundamental hadron components
subatomic particles · electrons · protons · neutrons · leptons
atomsmolecules
Bonded atomic groups
macroscale · compounds · matter · substances · cosmos
- atomic bombFission-triggered mass destruction device
- atom bombFission-based explosive weapon
- splitting the atomDividing atomic nuclei
- atomic energyForce from split nuclei
- atomic structureInternal composition of atoms
- atomic powerEnergy from fission reactions
atom, atomic, atomizer, atomize, subatomic, atomism, atomization, atomistic, atomic bomb