The basic form of matter that cannot be broken down any further is called an atom.
Explanation:
- Atom : The smallest unit of an element that retains the properties of that element.
- Atoms are made up of smaller particles (protons, neutrons, and electrons), but these subatomic particles themselves are not considered matter in the traditional sense.
- When you break down matter, you get atoms; atoms cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means.
If you want to go even deeper, subatomic particles like quarks and electrons are fundamental particles, but in terms of matter as we commonly understand it, atoms are the basic building blocks.
