Explain the relationship between matter, atoms, and elements.
2007-01-11 08:30:11 · 6 answers · asked by Hannah P 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
It's all in your textbook, but here's the shortest version:
Atoms are the smallest stable unit of matter. An atom consists of equal numbers of protons and electrons, and some neutrons thrown in for fun.
Matter is all the stuff around us that isn't energy. If it ain't one, it's the other, and there ain't no in-between.
Elements are substances that are made up of only one kind of atom. So, hydrogen is an element, meaning if you have pure hydrogen, it's all hydrogen atoms.
A compound is stuff made up of multiple elements. If you have pure table salt, what you have is actually sodium atoms and chlorine atoms joined together. So table salt is a compound, chlorine is an element.
2007-01-11 08:39:40 · answer #1 · answered by Brian L 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Matter is any physical material, made of atoms. A molecule is the basic unit of any material substance, like water, ammonia, carbon dioxide, alcohol, sugar, steel. Molecules are made of one or more atoms arranged in a specific way to give the substance its properties. If you try to divide a molecule into smaller groups of atoms, it will no longer be that substance.
An element is any molecular matter that can't be broken down into more basic atoms. Water is not an element because it can be broken into Hydrogen and Oxygen. Hydrogen and Oxygen are elements because they can't be further broken down. Every molecule of an element has one atom, or possibly combinations of identical atoms.
To recap: Matter is any physical material. An atom is the basic component of matter, consisting of a nucleus surrounded by one or more electrons. An element is any material that is made of only one type of atom. Molecules are atoms or combinations of atoms that give specific materials their properties. All atoms are elements. Not all molecules are elements.
2007-01-11 16:49:13 · answer #2 · answered by skepsis 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Matter is a mystery. But all things are made of matter. Matter has building blocks(the smallest particles it has to build with). The building blocks are quarks and electrons. Quarks pair up in threes to form protons and neutrons. Protons, neutrons, and electrons pair up (the number of protons will usually equal the number of electrons) to form atoms. These atoms are the building blocks of all of nature we see and interact with. An element is a bunch of the same kind of atoms. For example and atom with 1 proton and 1 neutron is a hydrogen atom. A collection of these atoms is called an element. If i said I had the element carbon in a jar, you would know that it is made up of carbon atoms
2007-01-11 16:39:20 · answer #3 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Every matter is composed of atoms. elements are the pure form of substance. All matter are made of atoms.
2007-01-11 16:49:20 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Different combinations of atoms make up different elements. Atoms and elements is matter. Everything is made up of matter.
2007-01-11 16:35:13 · answer #5 · answered by soul_plus_heart_equals_man 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
elements=grandpa mater=papa atom=child
2007-01-11 16:37:37 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋