Atom
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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| + | When [[atom]]s move straight down through the [[void]] by their own weight, they deflect a bit in space at a quite [[uncertain]] time and in uncertain places, just enough that you could say that their [[motion]] has changed. But if they were not in the habit of [[swerving]], they would all fall straight down through the depths of the void, like drops of rain, and no [[collision]] would occur, nor would any blow be produced among the atoms. In that case, nature would never have produced anything. --''[[De rerum natura]]'' describing [[clinamen]], Lucretius, tr. from Brad Inwood, L. P. Gerson, (1994) | ||
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| + | The '''atom''' is a basic unit of [[matter]] that consists of a dense central [[atomic nucleus|nucleus]] surrounded by a [[electron cloud|cloud]] of [[electric charge|negatively charged]] [[electrons]]. The [[atomic nucleus]] contains a mix of positively charged [[proton]]s and electrically neutral [[neutron]]s (except in the case of [[hydrogen-1]], which is the only stable [[nuclide]] with no neutrons). The electrons of an atom are bound to the nucleus by the [[electromagnetic force]]. Likewise, a group of atoms can remain bound to each other by [[chemical bond]]s based on the same force, forming a [[molecule]]. An atom containing an equal number of protons and electrons is electrically neutral, otherwise it is positively or negatively charged and is known as an [[ion]]. An atom is [[Periodic table|classified]] according to the number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus: the [[atomic number|number of protons]] determines the [[chemical element]], and the [[neutron number|number of neutrons]] determines the [[isotope]] of the element. | ||
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| + | ==See also== | ||
| + | * [[Atomic bomb]] | ||
| + | * [[Atomism]] | ||
| + | * [[Infinite divisibility]] | ||
| + | * [[Indivisible]] | ||
| + | * [[Atomized]] | ||
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When atoms move straight down through the void by their own weight, they deflect a bit in space at a quite uncertain time and in uncertain places, just enough that you could say that their motion has changed. But if they were not in the habit of swerving, they would all fall straight down through the depths of the void, like drops of rain, and no collision would occur, nor would any blow be produced among the atoms. In that case, nature would never have produced anything. --De rerum natura describing clinamen, Lucretius, tr. from Brad Inwood, L. P. Gerson, (1994) |
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The atom is a basic unit of matter that consists of a dense central nucleus surrounded by a cloud of negatively charged electrons. The atomic nucleus contains a mix of positively charged protons and electrically neutral neutrons (except in the case of hydrogen-1, which is the only stable nuclide with no neutrons). The electrons of an atom are bound to the nucleus by the electromagnetic force. Likewise, a group of atoms can remain bound to each other by chemical bonds based on the same force, forming a molecule. An atom containing an equal number of protons and electrons is electrically neutral, otherwise it is positively or negatively charged and is known as an ion. An atom is classified according to the number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus: the number of protons determines the chemical element, and the number of neutrons determines the isotope of the element.
See also
