elementy

Elementy (plural of element) is a term used in Polish and other languages to denote fundamental constituents of a larger whole. In mathematics and logic, an element of a set is an object that is a member of the set; for example, 3 is an element of the set {1,2,3,4}. In chemistry, chemical elements are the basic substances that cannot be further broken down by chemical means; they are organized in the periodic table by increasing atomic number, with 118 recognized elements as of 2024. Each element has properties such as symbol, atomic number, atomic mass, and electron configuration, and elements combine to form compounds.

In computing and information systems, an element is a basic unit stored or displayed within a data structure or document; for example, an element of an array is one entry, and an HTML element is a component of a web page defined by a tag and attributes. In design and user interfaces, elements refer to discrete parts of a layout, such as buttons, input fields, and panels.

The term also appears in other contexts, including music theory (elements of a composition), philosophy (basic elements of a theory), and linguistics (morphemes as elements of a word). Etymology traces back to Latin elementum, from Greek stoicheion, related to the idea of a fundamental building block. The concept of elementy emphasizes modularity and composability across disciplines.