Definition of atom. 1  1a : the smallest particle of an element that can exist either alone or in combination an atom of hydrogenb : the atom considered as a source of vast potential constructive or destructive energy â¦ a largely forgotten legacy of this country's conquest of the atom.
The mountain, a part of the Cascade Range, is a volcano that has not erupted for 2,000 years. It is also the highest mountain in the state of Washington. English explorer George Vancouver named Mount Rainier in honor of another navigator, Peter Rainier. Some people, however, prefer to call the mountain by its Indian name, Mount Tacoma.
If Mt. Rainier were to erupt as powerfully as Mount St. Helensdid in its May 18, 1980, eruption, the effect would be cumulatively greater, because of the far more massive amounts of glacial ice locked on the volcano compared to Mount St. Helens and the vastly more heavily populated areas surrounding Rainier.