Science Fair Project Encyclopedia

Atomic

The general meaning of "atomic" is "irreducible". That is, reduced to the smallest possible part. It has more specific meanings in several contexts:

In chemistry, chemical atoms are grouped by type in the periodic table and consist of particles as described by particle physics.
In computer science, an atomic operation is one that cannot be subdivided. Or more specifically, an operation that always completes as a whole, or doesn't complete at all. See atomic (computer science).
In order theory an atom is an abstract generalization of a singleton set in set theory and an atomic element provides an abstract generalization of the ability to select an element from a non-empty set.
Atomic is an Austrian ski producer.
"Atomic" is the name of a song by the rock band Blondie.
Atomic is also an Australian computing and technology magazine.

10-26-2009 08:16:03
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