* Atoms are the fundamental building blocks of matter. They are the smallest units of an element that retain the chemical properties of that element.
* Germs and bacteria are living organisms. They are made up of many different molecules, which are in turn made up of atoms.
Therefore, it's impossible for a germ or bacteria to be smaller than an atom. It would be like saying a house is smaller than a brick!
There are, however, some incredibly small viruses that are close in size to large molecules. However, they are still far larger than a single atom.
