Spark vs Atom - What's the difference?
spark | atom | Related terms |
A small particle of glowing matter, either molten or on fire.
A short or small burst of electrical discharge.
A small, shining body, or transient light; a sparkle.
(figuratively) A small amount of something, such as an idea, that has the potential to become something greater, just as a spark can start a fire.
* Shakespeare
* John Locke
* 2013 , Phil McNulty, "[http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23830980]", BBC Sport , 1 September 2013:
(in plural'' sparks ''but treated as a singular ) A ship's radio operator.
(UK, slang) An electrician.
To trigger, kindle into activity (an argument, etc).
* {{quote-news
, year=2012
, date=May 5
, author=Phil McNulty
, title=Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool
, work=BBC Sport
To give off a spark or sparks.
A gallant, a foppish young man.
* Prior
A beau, lover.
(history of science) A hypothetical particle posited by Greek philosophers as an ultimate and indivisible component of matter.
(physics, chemistry) The smallest possible amount of matter which still retains its identity as a chemical element, now known to consist of a nucleus surrounded by electrons.
* {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=September-October, author=
, magazine=(American Scientist), title= A mote of dust in a sunbeam.
The smallest, indivisible constituent part or unit of something. (Now generally interpreted as a figurative use of the physics sense, above.)
* 1835 , Sir , Sir (James Clark Ross),
A very small amount (of something immaterial); a whit.
* 1873 , (Isabella Macdonald Alden) (as "Pansy"), Three People , Western Tract and Book Society (1873),
*
(mathematics) A non-zero member of a (Boolean algebra) that is not a union of any other elements.
(computing, programming, Lisp) An individual number or symbol, as opposed to a list. A scalar value.
Spark is a related term of atom.
As nouns the difference between spark and atom
is that spark is a small particle of glowing matter, either molten or on fire or spark can be a gallant, a foppish young man while atom is an (l).As a verb spark
is to trigger, kindle into activity (an argument, etc) or spark can be to woo, court.spark
English
(wikipedia spark)Etymology 1
From Middle English sparke, sperke, from Old English spearca, from (etyl) ).Noun
(en noun)- if any spark of life be yet remaining
- We have here and there a little clear light, some sparks of bright knowledge .
- Everton's Marouane Fellaini looks one certain arrival but Moyes, who also saw United held to a draw by Chelsea at Old Trafford on Monday, needs even more of a spark in a midfield that looked laboured by this team's standards.
Synonyms
* gnast * beginnings, germ, glimmerDerived terms
* sparkle * bright spark * spark arrester * spark coil * spark gap * spark knock * spark of life * spark plug * spark transmitter * sparks flyVerb
(en verb)citation, page= , passage=The introduction of substitute Andy Carroll sparked Liverpool into life and he pulled a goal back just after the hour - and thought he had equalised as Kenny Dalglish's side laid siege to Chelsea's goal in the closing stages.}}
Derived terms
* spark off * sparkleEtymology 2
probably Scandinavian, akin to (etyl) sparkr 'sprightly'Noun
(en noun)- The finest sparks and cleanest beaux.
Derived terms
* sparkish * sparkerReferences
*Anagrams
* ----atom
English
(wikipedia atom)Alternative forms
* atomus (obsolete)Noun
(en noun)Katie L. Burke
In the News, passage=Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis:
Narrative of a Second Voyage in Search of a North-west Passage …'', Volume 1, pp.284-5
- Towards the following morning, the thermometer fell to 5°; and at daylight, there was not an atom of water to be seen in any direction.
page 325:
- "I have hardly the faintest atom of hope," answered this honest, earnest man.
- those of us who are capable of it are forced to work to the last atom of our strength
Synonyms
* See also * (small amount) see also .See also
* elementReferences
*archived version of Wikipedia page "Atom (disambiguation)"