Charged particle yields and spectra in image and heavy ion collisions with ATLAS at the LHC

The ATLAS experiment has extensive charged particle tracking over full azimuth and within image. The performance of this system is illustrated and some of the first results for pp collisions are presented. The prospects for tracking in the expected high-multiplicity heavy ion environment are shortly commented. The tracking performance within jets, which is essential for the measurement of jet fragmentation functions, will also be shortly presented.