Element
tags :
Chemical Element #
- A chemical element is a chemical substance that cannot be broken down into other substances, Atom.
- The basic particle that constitutes a chemical element is the Atom, and each chemical element is distinguished by the number of protons in the nuclei of its atoms, known as its atomic number.
- For example, Oxygen has an atomic number of 8, meaning that each oxygen atom has 8 protons in its nucleus. This is in contrast to chemical compounds and mixtures, which contain atoms with different atomic numbers.
Difference between Atom and Element #
| Element Feature | Elements | Atoms |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | An element is the simplest form of a substance. | An atom is the part of an element. |
| Composition | A particular element is composed of only one type of atom. | Atoms are further composed of subatomic particles called electrons, protons, and neutrons. |
| Chemical Reactions | Elements can combine with each other to form Molecules via chemical reaction. | Atoms can also combine to form molecules but if all bound atoms are of similar type elements are formed. |
| Size and Visibility | Elements are bigger and heavier. | Atoms are very tiny particles, and they cannot be seen through a microscope. |
| Number of Varieties | There are a total of 118 elements. | There are 92 different kinds of atoms in nature. |
| Usage in Science | The term element is used often when talking about the periodic table, and chemistry in general. | Atom is used more in Physics while in Chemistry it is often mentioned when talking about atomic number or mass. |