
Atom | Definition, Structure, History, Examples, Diagram, & Facts ...
4 days ago · An atom is the smallest unit into which matter can be divided without the release of electrically charged particles. It also is the smallest unit of matter that has the characteristic …
Periodic table | Definition, Elements, Names, Symbols, Groups, Charges ...
Mar 13, 2026 · Periodic table, in chemistry, is an organized array of all the chemical elements in order of increasing atomic number. When the elements are thus arranged, there is a recurring pattern in …
Atomic physics | Structure, Particles & Energy | Britannica
Atomic physics, the scientific study of the structure of the atom, its energy states, and its interactions with other particles and with electric and magnetic fields. Atomic physics has proved to be a …
Atom - Development, Theory, Structure | Britannica
Jan 31, 2026 · Atom - Development, Theory, Structure: The concept of the atom that Western scientists accepted in broad outline from the 1600s until about 1900 originated with Greek philosophers in the …
Chemical element - Atomic Structure, Periodic Table, Properties ...
Feb 19, 2026 · Chemical element - Atomic Structure, Periodic Table, Properties: Paralleling the development of the concept of elements was an understanding of the nature of matter. At various …
Chemical bonding - Visualization, Atoms, Molecules | Britannica
Mar 13, 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 portrayed visual …
atom - Students | Britannica Kids | Homework Help
Atoms also join together chemically to form molecules. Matter is made up of molecules, atoms, and ions (electrically charged atoms or groups of atoms), so atoms are basic components of matter.
atom - Kids | Britannica Kids | Homework Help
All atoms have the same basic parts. These are a nucleus and at least one particle called an electron. The nucleus contains protons and neutrons. Diagrams of two kinds of atoms show that each kind of …
How Scientists Discovered Atoms | Britannica
Learn about the discovery of atoms and the instruments scientists use to see these small particles.
Atom - Electrons, Orbitals, Energy | Britannica
Jan 31, 2026 · When two atoms approach each other, their electron clouds exert repulsive forces on each other, so that the atoms become polarized. In such situations, it is possible that the electrical …