Believed an atom, or “atomos” cannot be divided, created, or destroyed

The ancient Greek philosopher Democritus is the one who is believed to have first proposed the concept of "atomos" or atoms. He suggested that these atoms were indivisible and indestructible, forming the basic building blocks of the universe. Here are the steps to understand this concept:

1. Democritus' Theory: Democritus, along with his mentor Leucippus, proposed the atomic theory in the 5th century BC. They suggested that everything in the universe is composed of small, indivisible particles called "atomos", which means "uncuttable" in Greek.

2. Indivisible and Indestructible: According to Democritus, atoms cannot be divided, created, or destroyed. They are eternal and immutable. This means that in any chemical reaction, atoms are merely rearranged, not created or destroyed.

3. Different Shapes and Sizes: Democritus also proposed that atoms come in an infinite variety of shapes and sizes, which determine the properties of the matter they compose. For example, atoms of water are smooth and round, while atoms of iron are hard and strong.

4. Void Space: Democritus believed that atoms move in a void, or empty space. This was a revolutionary idea at the time, as it contradicted the common belief that a vacuum could not exist.

5. Influence: Despite being unable to provide empirical evidence for his theory, Democritus' ideas laid the groundwork for modern atomic theory. His concept of atoms being indivisible was later revised when subatomic particles (protons, neutrons, and electrons) were discovered.

In conclusion, the statement refers to the atomic theory proposed by Democritus, who believed that atoms ("atomos") cannot be divided, created, or destroyed.