is atom the right word

[Jbutler-helpful]

I propose "element" instead of atom as our base unit.

Ref:

element
noun
1.
an essential or characteristic part of something abstract.
"the death had all the elements of a great tabloid story"

each of more than one hundred substances that cannot be chemically interconverted or broken down into simpler substances and are primary constituents of matter. Each element is distinguished by its atomic number, i.e. the number of protons in the nuclei of its atoms.

Vs

atom

1. An atom is the basic unit of matter that constitutes a chemical element. Every atom is composed of a nucleus and one or more electrons bound to the nucleus. The nucleus is made of one or more protons and a number of neutrons. Only the most common variety of hydrogen has no neutrons.