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!

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