Quanta is a term used to describe the smallest possible unit of any physical property, such as energy or matter. It is derived from the Latin word for 'how much' and is often used in physics and chemistry to describe the smallest measurable amount of a given property. Quanta can also be used to refer to the smallest possible unit of time or space. In mathematics, quanta are used to describe the smallest possible unit of a mathematical object, such as a number or a vector.