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An element is a substance made up of only one type of atom, while an ionic compound is a compound containing more than one type of atom: an anion and a cation.

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Atoms are made up of a dense nucleus containing positively charged particles (protons) and neutrally charged particles (neutrons), with negatively charged particles (electrons) orbiting the nucleus in shells/orbits.

Elements are substances made of only one type of atom. Elements are differentiated from each other by the amount of protons that they contain. For example, oxygen is the only element with eight protons, and is not made of any other element.

Compounds are two or more different types of atoms chemically bonded together. For example, one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms bond together to form the compound CO2 (carbon dioxide).

Ions are elements with a stable valence (outer) shell/orbit. For example, the Periodic Table of the Elements will tell you that oxygen has six valence electrons (electrons in the valence shell). However, atoms with more than one shell are unstable with less than eight valence electrons. Since atoms react and bond with one another to become stable, oxygen could have two electrons transferred to it by an atom with two valence electrons (beryllium, for example). With eight electrons in its second (outer) shell, the oxygen atom would be stable.

Anions are negatively charged ions.

Cations are positively charged ions.

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Q: What is the difference between an element and ionic compound?
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Related questions

What would fluorine have to combine with to form an ionic compound?

If fluorine combines with an element such that their electronegativity difference is more than 1.7, then they will form an ionic compound. Example:- Hydrogen fluoride is an ionic compound. Hydrogen has electronegativity of 2.1 and fluorine has 4.0. So, the difference is 1.9. Therefore, it is an ionic compound.


Is iron(III) oxide a molecular compound or ionic?

No. Iron III oxide is an ionic compound. This is due to the large difference in electronegativity between oxygen and iron. If the electronegativity difference is greater than 2.0 a compound is generally ionic. The difference between iron and oxygen is 2.61.


Is V2O5 a covalent or ionic compound?

V2O5 is an ionic compound as the difference in electronegativities between oxygen and vanadium is above 1.7


IS Cr2O3 molecular or ionic compound?

It is ionic compound as the difference in the electronegativity between chromium and oxygen is more than 1.7


Which pair of element will react to form ionic compound?

Ionic compounds are formed between metals and non-metals.


Is CaO a polar covalent bond?

No. CaO is an ionic compound.


Is Iron (III) oxide molecular or ionic?

No. Iron III oxide is an ionic compound. This is due to the large difference in electronegativity between oxygen and iron. If the electronegativity difference is greater than 2.0 a compound is generally ionic. The difference between iron and oxygen is 2.61.


Is a ionic compound likely to form between fluorine and chlorine why or why not?

No, they form a covalent compound because there is not a great enough difference in electronegativity for one element to completely pull the electrons away from the other.


Is iron III oxide a molecular compound why?

No. Iron III oxide is an ionic compound. This is due to the large difference in electronegativity between oxygen and iron. If the electronegativity difference is greater than 2.0 a compound is generally ionic. The difference between iron and oxygen is 2.61.


Why is SO2 not an ionic compound?

The difference in electronegativity between sulfur and oxygen is not sufficient to form ionic bonds.


How do you recognize an ionic compound?

If the first element in it is a cation, it is just about always an ionic compound.


Is MgO an element molecular compound or ionic compound?

According to wikipedia, Magnesium Oxide is an ionic compound.