Atom
Atom (Medicine)
Atom (/ˈætəm/; from Ancient Greek: ἄτομος, translit. átomos, lit. 'indivisible') is a fundamental concept in Physics and Chemistry, but it also has significant implications in the field of Medicine and Pharmacology.
Definition
In the context of medicine, an atom is the smallest constituent unit of ordinary matter that constitutes a chemical element. Every solid, liquid, gas, and plasma is composed of neutral or ionized atoms. Atoms are extremely small, typically around 100 picometers. They are so small that accurately predicting their behavior using classical physics is not possible. Instead, scientists use quantum mechanics to accurately predict the atom's behavior.
Role in Medicine
Atoms play a crucial role in the field of medicine. They are the building blocks of all matter, including the human body and all the substances used in medical treatments. For example, the Pharmaceutical Industry uses the knowledge of atomic structure to design and produce drugs.
In Radiology, atoms are manipulated to produce images of the body's interior. In Radiation Therapy, atoms are used to destroy cancerous cells.
Etymology
The term "atom" comes from the Ancient Greek word "atomos", which means "indivisible". This term was coined by the ancient Greek philosophers Leucippus and his pupil Democritus, who proposed that all matter is composed of small, indivisible particles.
Related Terms
- Molecule: A group of atoms bonded together, representing the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound that can take part in a chemical reaction.
- Ion: An atom or molecule with a net electric charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons.
- Isotope: Each of two or more forms of the same element that contain equal numbers of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Atom
- Wikipedia's article - Atom
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