diff --git a/library/core/src/sync/atomic.rs b/library/core/src/sync/atomic.rs
index b5ad3f280e6b1..f83f60857a266 100644
--- a/library/core/src/sync/atomic.rs
+++ b/library/core/src/sync/atomic.rs
@@ -4,26 +4,12 @@
//! threads, and are the building blocks of other concurrent
//! types.
//!
-//! Rust atomics currently follow the same rules as [C++20 atomics][cpp], specifically `atomic_ref`.
-//! Basically, creating a *shared reference* to one of the Rust atomic types corresponds to creating
-//! an `atomic_ref` in C++; the `atomic_ref` is destroyed when the lifetime of the shared reference
-//! ends. (A Rust atomic type that is exclusively owned or behind a mutable reference does *not*
-//! correspond to an "atomic object" in C++, since it can be accessed via non-atomic operations.)
-//!
//! This module defines atomic versions of a select number of primitive
//! types, including [`AtomicBool`], [`AtomicIsize`], [`AtomicUsize`],
//! [`AtomicI8`], [`AtomicU16`], etc.
//! Atomic types present operations that, when used correctly, synchronize
//! updates between threads.
//!
-//! Each method takes an [`Ordering`] which represents the strength of
-//! the memory barrier for that operation. These orderings are the
-//! same as the [C++20 atomic orderings][1]. For more information see the [nomicon][2].
-//!
-//! [cpp]: https://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/atomic
-//! [1]: https://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/atomic/memory_order
-//! [2]: ../../../nomicon/atomics.html
-//!
//! Atomic variables are safe to share between threads (they implement [`Sync`])
//! but they do not themselves provide the mechanism for sharing and follow the
//! [threading model](../../../std/thread/index.html#the-threading-model) of Rust.
@@ -36,6 +22,75 @@
//! the constant initializers like [`AtomicBool::new`]. Atomic statics
//! are often used for lazy global initialization.
//!
+//! ## Memory model for atomic accesses
+//!
+//! Rust atomics currently follow the same rules as [C++20 atomics][cpp], specifically `atomic_ref`.
+//! Basically, creating a *shared reference* to one of the Rust atomic types corresponds to creating
+//! an `atomic_ref` in C++; the `atomic_ref` is destroyed when the lifetime of the shared reference
+//! ends. (A Rust atomic type that is exclusively owned or behind a mutable reference does *not*
+//! correspond to an "atomic object" in C++, since it can be accessed via non-atomic operations.)
+//!
+//! [cpp]: https://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/atomic
+//!
+//! Each method takes an [`Ordering`] which represents the strength of
+//! the memory barrier for that operation. These orderings are the
+//! same as the [C++20 atomic orderings][1]. For more information see the [nomicon][2].
+//!
+//! [1]: https://en.cppreference.com/w/cpp/atomic/memory_order
+//! [2]: ../../../nomicon/atomics.html
+//!
+//! Since C++ does not support mixing atomic and non-atomic accesses, or non-synchronized
+//! different-sized accesses to the same data, Rust does not support those operations either.
+//! Note that both of those restrictions only apply if the accesses are non-synchronized.
+//!
+//! ```rust,no_run undefined_behavior
+//! use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicU16, AtomicU8, Ordering};
+//! use std::mem::transmute;
+//! use std::thread;
+//!
+//! let atomic = AtomicU16::new(0);
+//!
+//! thread::scope(|s| {
+//! // This is UB: mixing atomic and non-atomic accesses
+//! s.spawn(|| atomic.store(1, Ordering::Relaxed));
+//! s.spawn(|| unsafe { atomic.as_ptr().write(2) });
+//! });
+//!
+//! thread::scope(|s| {
+//! // This is UB: even reads are not allowed to be mixed
+//! s.spawn(|| atomic.load(Ordering::Relaxed));
+//! s.spawn(|| unsafe { atomic.as_ptr().read() });
+//! });
+//!
+//! thread::scope(|s| {
+//! // This is fine, `join` synchronizes the code in a way such that atomic
+//! // and non-atomic accesses can't happen "at the same time"
+//! let handle = s.spawn(|| atomic.store(1, Ordering::Relaxed));
+//! handle.join().unwrap();
+//! s.spawn(|| unsafe { atomic.as_ptr().write(2) });
+//! });
+//!
+//! thread::scope(|s| {
+//! // This is UB: using different-sized atomic accesses to the same data
+//! s.spawn(|| atomic.store(1, Ordering::Relaxed));
+//! s.spawn(|| unsafe {
+//! let differently_sized = transmute::<&AtomicU16, &AtomicU8>(&atomic);
+//! differently_sized.store(2, Ordering::Relaxed);
+//! });
+//! });
+//!
+//! thread::scope(|s| {
+//! // This is fine, `join` synchronizes the code in a way such that
+//! // differently-sized accesses can't happen "at the same time"
+//! let handle = s.spawn(|| atomic.store(1, Ordering::Relaxed));
+//! handle.join().unwrap();
+//! s.spawn(|| unsafe {
+//! let differently_sized = transmute::<&AtomicU16, &AtomicU8>(&atomic);
+//! differently_sized.store(2, Ordering::Relaxed);
+//! });
+//! });
+//! ```
+//!
//! # Portability
//!
//! All atomic types in this module are guaranteed to be [lock-free] if they're
@@ -383,16 +438,12 @@ impl AtomicBool {
/// * `ptr` must be aligned to `align_of::<AtomicBool>()` (note that on some platforms this can
/// be bigger than `align_of::<bool>()`).
/// * `ptr` must be [valid] for both reads and writes for the whole lifetime `'a`.
- /// * Non-atomic accesses to the value behind `ptr` must have a happens-before relationship
- /// with atomic accesses via the returned value (or vice-versa).
- /// * In other words, time periods where the value is accessed atomically may not overlap
- /// with periods where the value is accessed non-atomically.
- /// * This requirement is trivially satisfied if `ptr` is never used non-atomically for the
- /// duration of lifetime `'a`. Most use cases should be able to follow this guideline.
- /// * This requirement is also trivially satisfied if all accesses (atomic or not) are done
- /// from the same thread.
+ /// * You must adhere to the [Memory model for atomic accesses]. In particular, it is not
+ /// allowed to mix atomic and non-atomic accesses, or atomic accesses of different sizes,
+ /// without synchronization.
///
/// [valid]: crate::ptr#safety
+ /// [Memory model for atomic accesses]: self#memory-model-for-atomic-accesses
#[stable(feature = "atomic_from_ptr", since = "CURRENT_RUSTC_VERSION")]
#[rustc_const_unstable(feature = "const_atomic_from_ptr", issue = "108652")]
pub const unsafe fn from_ptr<'a>(ptr: *mut bool) -> &'a AtomicBool {
@@ -1185,18 +1236,12 @@ impl<T> AtomicPtr<T> {
/// * `ptr` must be aligned to `align_of::<AtomicPtr<T>>()` (note that on some platforms this
/// can be bigger than `align_of::<*mut T>()`).
/// * `ptr` must be [valid] for both reads and writes for the whole lifetime `'a`.
- /// * Non-atomic accesses to the value behind `ptr` must have a happens-before relationship
- /// with atomic accesses via the returned value (or vice-versa).
- /// * In other words, time periods where the value is accessed atomically may not overlap
- /// with periods where the value is accessed non-atomically.
- /// * This requirement is trivially satisfied if `ptr` is never used non-atomically for the
- /// duration of lifetime `'a`. Most use cases should be able to follow this guideline.
- /// * This requirement is also trivially satisfied if all accesses (atomic or not) are done
- /// from the same thread.
- /// * This method should not be used to create overlapping or mixed-size atomic accesses, as
- /// these are not supported by the memory model.
+ /// * You must adhere to the [Memory model for atomic accesses]. In particular, it is not
+ /// allowed to mix atomic and non-atomic accesses, or atomic accesses of different sizes,
+ /// without synchronization.
///
/// [valid]: crate::ptr#safety
+ /// [Memory model for atomic accesses]: self#memory-model-for-atomic-accesses
#[stable(feature = "atomic_from_ptr", since = "CURRENT_RUSTC_VERSION")]
#[rustc_const_unstable(feature = "const_atomic_from_ptr", issue = "108652")]
pub const unsafe fn from_ptr<'a>(ptr: *mut *mut T) -> &'a AtomicPtr<T> {
@@ -2167,19 +2212,12 @@ macro_rules! atomic_int {
`align_of::<", stringify!($atomic_type), ">()` (note that on some platforms this \
can be bigger than `align_of::<", stringify!($int_type), ">()`).")]
/// * `ptr` must be [valid] for both reads and writes for the whole lifetime `'a`.
- /// * Non-atomic accesses to the value behind `ptr` must have a happens-before
- /// relationship with atomic accesses via the returned value (or vice-versa).
- /// * In other words, time periods where the value is accessed atomically may not
- /// overlap with periods where the value is accessed non-atomically.
- /// * This requirement is trivially satisfied if `ptr` is never used non-atomically
- /// for the duration of lifetime `'a`. Most use cases should be able to follow
- /// this guideline.
- /// * This requirement is also trivially satisfied if all accesses (atomic or not) are
- /// done from the same thread.
- /// * This method should not be used to create overlapping or mixed-size atomic
- /// accesses, as these are not supported by the memory model.
+ /// * You must adhere to the [Memory model for atomic accesses]. In particular, it is not
+ /// allowed to mix atomic and non-atomic accesses, or atomic accesses of different sizes,
+ /// without synchronization.
///
/// [valid]: crate::ptr#safety
+ /// [Memory model for atomic accesses]: self#memory-model-for-atomic-accesses
#[stable(feature = "atomic_from_ptr", since = "CURRENT_RUSTC_VERSION")]
#[rustc_const_unstable(feature = "const_atomic_from_ptr", issue = "108652")]
pub const unsafe fn from_ptr<'a>(ptr: *mut $int_type) -> &'a $atomic_type {