What are the elements combined in compounds?

Answer 1

Elements are made up of atoms while compounds are made up of molecules. When the atoms of at least two different elements chemically combine, they form molecules and those molecules make up a compound.

All elements are capable of combination with other elements to form thousands of different compounds that have completely different characteristics than their elemental parents.

A common example is Sodium (Na), (a very reactive metal that reacts violently with water), and Chlorine (Cl), (a poisonous gas) When these elements are chemically combined, they form a completely new substance, harmless table salt (NaCl), a compound.