Chop sliver

The atomic model is what you get when you chop matter up until you can't go any further. The piece you are left with is defined as an atom. In a nutshell, that's the gist. Yes, it is possible to go further, but the resulting fragments will have different properties, so they are regarded as sub-atomic.

An improved rule is to go down to the smallest piece that still retains the same properties as the original substance. 

Usually, theorists get around that by starting out with a pure element. Therefore, gold gets reduced to atoms of gold, and sulphur (or sulfur) reduces to individual atoms too (even if they are arranged in rings).

But that's cheating, no? 

Because what do you do when you break down crystals (of ions e.g. NaCl), or the diamond form of carbon? What do you do with molecular and organic substances? How do you deal with cells or live organisms? 

If you require the smallest-sized bit to retain the same properties as the original, you may end up with something quite large. It may even need to be as large as the original object, in fact. So how do we cut it up?

Enter the Sliver Model.  

This model addresses that issue. Just as the atomic model does, the sliver model breaks the world down as far as possible. You end up with the smallest-sized piece conceivable, but you use a different blade. 

Think, if you will, in terms of the cross-section of a 3-D object. That's roughly the approach I suggest, except that one works in a different dimension. You see, with the sliver model you slice up the world in terms of time. That's the knife we'll wield to carve our infinitesimal universe.