• Question: what is a compund and an element?

    Asked by bethanykibler to Arttu, Ceri, James_M, Monica, Philip on 13 Jun 2011. This question was also asked by noor, danniegee.
    • Photo: Philip Dolan

      Philip Dolan answered on 13 Jun 2011:

      An element is an atom with a particular number of protons in it’s nucleus (Hydrogen has 1 proton, Helium 2, Oxygen has 8, and Uranium has 92).

      A compound is when 2 or more different elements are covalently bonded together (water has 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen bonded together, carbon dioxide has 1 carbon and 2 oxygen atoms).

      Covalent bonding means that the atoms share at least one electron (i.e. one of their electrons is orbiting both nuclei) .

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