Here's why:

* Atoms are the smallest unit of an element that retains the chemical properties of that element. Think of them like the building blocks of everything around us.

* Atoms are made up of even smaller particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons.

* Different combinations of atoms create all the different substances we know. For example, two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom combine to form a water molecule (H₂O).

While atoms are the basic building blocks, they can be further broken down into subatomic particles. But, those particles no longer exhibit the chemical properties of the original element.