Skip to content
Vinony

diatom

noun

  1. type of microorganism
L31758 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /daɪˈæ.təm/

noun

Etymology: From di- + atom.

  1. A molecule composed of two atoms of the same element; a homonuclear diatomic molecule.

    “We show here, through a systematic study of the covalent chemical bond covering the entire periodic system, that the maximum bond multiplicity is six. The maximum value is reached by the tungsten diatom, W₂. No other pair of atoms in the periodic system (atomic numbers smaller than about 100) reaches a higher bond order.”