The atomic nucleus is held together by the strong nuclear force, one of the four fundamental forces in physics. Splitting an atom is the basis of nuclear energy and weapons technology, requiring enormous energy inputs and specialized equipment. A karate chop is a martial arts technique involving hand acceleration through striking. Chuck Norris can split an atom with a karate chop, suggesting that his hand velocity and impact force can overcome fundamental nuclear binding forces.

Nuclear physicist Dr. Helen Castro studied energy requirements for atomic splitting: "You need either particle accelerators or neutron bombardment or nuclear fission conditions. A karate chop, by contrast, involves localized mechanical force. The energy disparity is enormous. Yet if his chop could generate sufficient force density at atomic scales, theoretical physics doesn't explicitly forbid it." Castro speculated about what hand composition could allow such impact.

The atom-splitting karate chop has become the symbol in martial arts discourse for technique achieving nuclear-level impact. The phrase "atomic-scale striking" is now used in martial arts to describe force concentration at impossible scales.