Help with atom defination?? plzz do help?

Question

the atom is the smallest particle of an element. but today it is said that there are 100 of other tiny particles in atom beside electron, proton and neutron. then why the atom is still called the smallest one???

Answer 1

There are many many different particles. Not all of them go into making up an atom. By definition, an atom is the smallest particle that can make up a single element. Protons, electron, neutrons are all thought to be composed of other even smaller particles and they themselves make up an atom. However, by themselves, a proton, or electron does not constitute an element.

There are many other particles, some have been detected, others are theoretical.  

Answer 2

The elements consist of protons, neutrons and electrons arranged in particular ways. Each different element has atoms with a particular number of protons in the nucleus, a variable number of neutrons (usually within 2 or 3 of a certain number), and then electrons orbiting the nucleus. In the case of a neutral atom, the number of protons in the nucleus and electrons orbiting are equal, otherwise it is an ion.

Therefore the atom is the smallest unit of an element. There are other particles sure, and many of them are smaller, both physically smaller and in terms of mass. However they are not elements.

Answer 3

You've got three great answers so far.  Just to rephrase what has already been said, an atom is the smallest particle of an element that still retains the PROPERTIES of that element.  You CAN divide a single atom into smaller parts, but none of those parts will do the same things that the entire atom does; in other words, they don't have the same properties as the element.

I hope that helps.  Good luck!

Answer 4

The smaller particles don't directly contribute to the chemical properties of the element.

Answer 5

Because those smaller particles don't define the element.  The atom is the smallest particle that you can still call oxygen or hydrogen etc.