# Are atoms/particles unique/undistinguishable?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atoms-particles-unique-undistinguishable/388279>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 17, 2007, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atoms-particles-unique-undistinguishable/388279 "2007-01-17T01:14:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![renan\_goksin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8dc957/32.png) [@renan\_goksin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/renan_goksin)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atoms-particles-unique-undistinguishable/388279/21 "2013-04-21T03:59:34Z")

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If anybody is still out there I would like to hear your discourse from a metaphysical angle as well. If two things are indistinguishable does that necessarily imply that they are interchangeable? Is the definition of ‘object’ in the material world imply the property of distinquishibility and if so at what structural level does this become manifest? My inquiry is about ‘identity’ and the physical world.

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**Author:** ![shadowofneo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/54ee81/32.png) [@shadowofneo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shadowofneo)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2013, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-atoms-particles-unique-undistinguishable/388279/22 "2013-04-21T04:18:04Z")

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Any physical manifestation is considered to be of particulate matter. Atoms are a form of matter and are almost as far as it goes. In order to elaborate i would have to go off about quantum physics and such. Though there are many different kinds of particles of course, when it comes to basics, the Floccinaucinihilipilification of matter is nonsensical. Each one must be contained/combined or bound by the same chemical compounds

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