What does an atom do?

Answer 1

An atom moves, in three ways: translational, rotational, and vibrational. Atoms usually combine with other atoms, of the same or different elemental type, into different forms of matter. Every atom has a nucleus, or center, of some number of protons and neutrons. The atom also has a number of electrons, which can be viewed as orbiting the nucleus. Even when atoms are combined into molecules, they move, as least by vibrating within the molecule. Many nonmetal atoms combine, by sharing electrons, into molecules, building blocks of many kinds of matter. Some nonmetal atoms, such as atoms of the "noble gases" helium and neon, can exist uncombined. When metals and nonmetals combine, gaining or losing electrons, they form solids called ionic crystals. Salt is an example. Atoms of metal elements can combine with each other into metallic solids.
Atoms make up all matter. They can also cause explosions.