What does atom mean?
Word: Atom
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Atom means one of the tiny particles that everything is made of; it is the smallest part of a chemical element that can exist on its own.
How do you spell atom?
Syllables: at - om
Tricky part: The second part is said very lightly, like um, so students often write atum or atem. The spelling ends in om.
Watch out for: atum, atem
Memory tip: Atom ends like from: both finish with om, even though you say the end lightly.
Atom in a sentence
Example 1: A single grain of sand contains a huge number of atoms.
Example 2: Our teacher showed us a picture of carbon atoms joined in a ring.
Example 3: Everything you can touch, from your desk to your water bottle, is made of atoms.
Fun Fact
The name comes from a Greek word for something that cannot be cut, because thinkers long ago believed nothing could be smaller. Scientists later found that atoms are made of even tinier parts.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Puzzle
Match the words with their meanings:
1. atom 2. magnet 3. telescope a. an instrument that makes faraway things look closer b. a particle far too small to see, with electrons moving round its centre c. a piece of iron or steel that pulls other iron towards it
a) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
b) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
c) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
d) 1-a, 2-b, 3-c
Show answer
a) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a. The tiny particle is the atom, the iron puller is the magnet and the instrument for distant things is the telescope.
Spell Spies
Choose the misspelt word/s in the given sentence:
At the science fair, Lucas built a model of an attom from clay and used small beeds to show the electrons.
a) only attom
b) beeds and electrons
c) only electrons
d) attom and beeds
Show answer
d) attom and beeds. Atom has just one t, and beads is spelt with ea.
Sound Check
In which word is 'a' pronounced differently?
a) antelope
b) apple
c) atom
d) acorn
Show answer
d) acorn. Acorn opens with the a of its name; atom, antelope and apple open with the short a of cat.
Word Tally
How many words in the list are misspelt?
atom, electron, neutron, protton, nucleous, molecule
a) 3
b) 2
c) 1
d) 4
Show answer
b) 2. Proton has one t and nucleus has no o, so two words are wrong.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which scientist would study atoms most closely?
a) a geographer
b) a botanist
c) a chemist
d) a zoologist
Show answer
c) a chemist
2. Atoms of hydrogen and oxygen join together to make which everyday substance?
a) water
b) sugar
c) salt
d) sand
Show answer
a) water
