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  1. Atom | Definition, Structure, History, Examples, Diagram, & Facts ...

    Jan 31, 2026 · Chemical elements are made up of only one type of atom—gold contains only gold atoms, and neon contains only neon atoms--and they are ranked in order of their atomic …

  2. Atomic physics | Structure, Particles & Energy | Britannica

    It attempts to describe and account for the properties of molecules and atoms and their constituents— electrons, protons, neutrons, and other more esoteric particles such as quarks …

  3. Periodic table | Definition, Elements, Names, Symbols, Groups, …

    Feb 13, 2026 · The sizes of atoms are of importance in the determination of coordination number (that is, the number of groups attached to the central atom in a compound) and hence in the …

  4. Chemical bonding - Visualization, Atoms, Molecules | Britannica

    Jan 29, 2026 · Chemical bonding - Visualization, Atoms, Molecules: The last opposition to the existence of atoms vanished in the early 20th century when techniques were developed that …

  5. Atom - Development, Theory, Structure | Britannica

    Jan 31, 2026 · Democritus believed that atoms were uniform, solid, hard, incompressible, and indestructible and that they moved in infinite numbers through empty space until stopped. …

  6. Chemical element - Atoms, Molecules, Compounds | Britannica

    Jan 9, 2026 · Chemical element - Atoms, Molecules, Compounds: Igneous rocks show a wide range of composition; the principal component, silica (SiO2), ranges from about 35 percent to …

  7. atom - Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework Help

    The tiny particles called atoms are the basic building blocks of all matter. Atoms can be combined with other atoms to form molecules, but they cannot be divided into smaller parts by ordinary …

  8. Ion | Definition, Chemistry, Examples, & Facts | Britannica

    Feb 3, 2026 · Ion, any atom or group of atoms that bears one or more positive or negative electrical charges. Positively charged ions are called cations; negatively charged ions, anions.

  9. Atom - Electrons, Nucleus, Bonds | Britannica

    Jan 31, 2026 · Atom - Electrons, Nucleus, Bonds: Once the way atoms are put together is understood, the question of how they interact with each other can be addressed—in particular, …

  10. How Chemists Visualize & Study Atoms | Britannica

    The idea of atoms stretches back to ancient Greece when the philosopher Democritus declared that all matter is made of tiny particles. The philosopher Plato even decided, wrongly, that …