Question #6b797

1 Answer
Dwight
Feb 2, 2018

That depends on what "things" you are looking for...? A few definitions are offered below...

Explanation:

An element is a substance that consists of only one type of atom.

A molecule is a particle which is made of two or more atoms that are chemically (covalently) bonded together. The atoms can be the same or different. So, #O_2# is a molecule, even though both atoms are the same. #CO_2# is also a molecule, but with two different types of atoms (carbon and oxygen).

A compound is a substance that is composed of at least two different elements, but in a fixed proportion that cannot be changed (without changing the compound into something new).

You can think of this comparison: an atom is like a letter, but a molecule is like a word.

Just as you "spell" a letter, you use it as a building block to make words, so elements are the building blocks that make molecules.

Hope that helps!

Related questions
Impact of this question
817 views around the world
You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License