Atoms, Elements, Molecules, Compounds

Front

What is an atom?

Back

The smallest unit of an element that retains the properties of that element.

Front

What is an element?

Back

A pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means.

Front

What is a molecule?

Back

A group of two or more atoms bonded together, which can be of the same or different elements.

Front

What is a compound?

Back

A substance formed when two or more different elements bond together in a fixed ratio.

Front

What is a crystal?

Back

A solid material whose atoms are arranged in a highly ordered, repeating pattern.

Front

What is the difference between a molecule and a compound?

Back

All compounds are molecules, but not all molecules are compounds; compounds must contain different elements.

Front

What is a space-filling model?

Back

A model that shows the relative sizes of atoms and how they fill space in a molecule.

Front

What is a ball and stick model?

Back

A model that represents atoms as balls and chemical bonds as sticks, showing the arrangement of atoms in a molecule.

Front

What are physical properties of an element?

Back

Characteristics that can be observed without changing the substance, such as color, melting point, and density.

Front

What are chemical properties of an element?

Back

Characteristics that describe how a substance interacts with other substances, such as reactivity and flammability.