5.1 What are atoms, elements and compounds?

What is the Greek word from which 'atom' is derived, and what does it mean?

• atomos, meaning 'indivisible' or 'uncuttable'

• atomus, meaning 'small particle'

• atomikos, meaning 'invisible'

• atomia, meaning 'basic unit'

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What percentage of all the atoms in the universe come from the two lightest elements?

• More than 98%

• About 75%

• Less than 50%

• Approximately 85%

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What happens at the end of a large star's lifecycle that contributes to the creation of heavier elements?

• It turns into a white dwarf

• It collapses into a black hole

• It undergoes a massive explosion called a supernova

• It forms a new solar system

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What discovery allowed scientists to view images of different atoms that had previously been unseen?

• The invention of the electron microscope

• The development of the scanning tunnelling microscope

• The creation of the atomic force microscope

• The use of high-powered telescopes

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What would happen if you cut an atom of silver in half?

• You would have two smaller atoms of silver

• You would have one atom of silver and one atom of a different element

• You would no longer be in possession of the element silver

• The atom would remain unchanged

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What are elements considered to be?

• Mixtures of substances.

• Pure substances.

• Compounds.

• Chemical reactions.

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What is the name of the microscope that allowed scientists to view the first image of an atom?

• Electron microscope.

• Optical microscope.

• Scanning tunnelling microscope.

• Atomic force microscope.

Which of the following is true about compounds?

• They are made of one element combined in a fixed ratio by weight.

• They have the same properties as the elements they are made of.

• They are formed when two or more elements combine with one another by chemically bonding.

• They are always in the gaseous state.

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NGSS.MS-PS1-1

What is the origin of the symbol 'W' for the element tungsten?

• It comes from its Latin name 'wolfram'.

• It is derived from the English word 'weight'.

• It is an abbreviation of the word 'white'.

• It stands for 'western' as it was discovered in the western world.

Why do some symbols for chemical elements in the periodic table not match their English name?

• Because they are derived from the names of the scientists who discovered them.

• Because they are based on the elements' physical properties.

• Because they are taken from the elements' Latin or Germanic names.

• Because they are arbitrary letters chosen by the discoverer.