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An element is like a cell that makes up a molecule. A molecule is many different elements. CO2 is carbon and oxygen squared. carbon and oxygen are elements and CO2 is a molecule.

An element is a substance that cannot be broken down by either physical or chemical change. And a molecule the smallest particle of a substance that is still identified as that substance.

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14y ago
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15y ago

an atom is a particle that has a nucleus containing protons and neutrons. it has negatively charged electrons travelling around it a molecule is when 2 or more atoms are held together by covalent bonds (usually 2 non metals) - the electronegativity difference between these atoms must be less than 1.7 an element is anything you would find on the Periodic Table - eg oxygen, tin, thorium,

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13y ago

Element is the simplest you can get something without losing identity. An atom of carbon-12 for example, if taken down any further, loses its identity as carbon. If you totally separate it, you have protons, neutrons, and electrons. (Six of each.) Every other element stripped down will yield protons, neutrons, and electrons. The "carbon-ness" is gone from the carbon. Strip down an oxygen atom and all oxygen like properties will disappear. You have protons, neutrons, and electrons, and all protons are the same, all neutrons are the same, all electrons are the same. The specific species identity of the element has been lost. Sticking elements together produces molecules. You make something with a new identity. Hydrogen and oxygen are highly reactive gases. Stick them together, 2 H's to each O, and you get H2O, water, a nonreactive liquid. We call these species created by sticking elements together "COMPOUNDS", and the smallest unit of a COMPOUND is one MOLECULE. Water is a COMPOUND comprising hydrogen and oxygen. The smallest water unit is the water molecule, the H2O molecule.

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Q: What is the difference between an element and a molecule?
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What's the difference between a molecule and a compose?

A molecule consists of atoms covalently bonded to one another. The molecule can consist of atoms of only one element, like H2 or S8, or a combination of different elements, such as H2O, in which case it is a compound.


What is the difference between polar and nonpolar molecules?

Polar covalent molecule is where one element in the bond is more electronegative and holds the shared electrons closer to itself. Non polar covalent bonds is where they're evenly between each element.


What is the difference between a parent element and a daughter element?

biology


What is the difference between an Ion and an Molecule?

Ions are charged.


What is the difference between smallest particle of element and smallest particle of compound?

To understand, you first need to understand the difference between an element and a compound. An element is any element from the Periodic table. For example, oxygen. A compound is a substance in which more than one element are bonded chemically. This is not to be confused with a mixture, which is simple a mixture of substances with no chemical bonding. An example of a compound would be water, consisting of hydrogen and oxygen bonded together.Now that we've established to difference between an element and a compound, we can explore what the smallest particle of each is. The "smallest particle" is the smallest you can go while still keeping the properties of the original substance.The smallest particle of an element would be an atom. But when dealing with compounds, if you break them down to atoms, then those atoms don't have the same properties as a compound. The smallest particle of a compound is a molecule. In our example of water, a water molecule consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, chemically bonded together. The molecule, consisting of three atoms, has the chemical properties of water. But if you break it down so you just have an oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms, none of them would have the properties of the original compound (water).Thus, the smallest particle of an element is an atom, and the smallest particle of a compound is a molecule. The difference between the two is that an atom is an atom, and a molecule is two or more atoms chemically bonded.

Related questions

What is the difference between a molecule of an element and a molecule of a compound?

An element can be distinguished by only one atom of an element because it has significant properties, while a molecule has to be found by two atoms like O2 and H2.


What is the basic difference between gold molecule and water molecule?

Gold molecule is an element. A water molecule is a compund, H2O, composed of two elements


What is the difference between an atom a molecule and an element?

An atom is a nucleus of protons and neutrons with electrons orbiting around. An element is an atom with a specific amount of protons, neutrons, and electrons. A molecule is a bunch of atoms stuck together.


What is the difference between a atom and molecules?

An atom is the smallest piece of an element that can exist as that element. A molecule is a joining of two or more atoms in a chemical bond. There can be two of the same type of atoms in a molucule, as in a molecule of oxygen, 02.


Is fluorine molecule polar molecule?

No. Fluorine is an element. Two atoms of the same element will not form a polar bond because there is no difference in electronegativity.


What is the difference beteween molecule and compound?

the difference between a molecule and a compound is the spelling.


What is the difference between an atom a molecule and lattice?

An atom is the smallest particle of an element, anything further has "lost its identity" of that element. Atoms make up molecules. A molecule is a bond between two non-metals. Atoms also make up lattices. Lattices are a part of bonding between metals.


What is the difference between a hydrogen molecule and HCL molecule?

spelling?


What's the difference between a molecule and a compose?

A molecule consists of atoms covalently bonded to one another. The molecule can consist of atoms of only one element, like H2 or S8, or a combination of different elements, such as H2O, in which case it is a compound.


Is nitrogen an element or molecule?

Nitrogen is both an element and a molecule. In molecular form, Nitrogen forms a binary molecule N2 with a triple bond between the two Nitrogen atoms.


What is the difference between polar and nonpolar molecules?

Polar covalent molecule is where one element in the bond is more electronegative and holds the shared electrons closer to itself. Non polar covalent bonds is where they're evenly between each element.


Is the covalent bond between chlorine atoms in a molecule of chlorine gas polar?

No. Bonds between atoms of the same element are nonpolar. The electronegativity difference between the two atoms is zero, which indicates that the bond is nonpolar.