Question

How are elements and compounds similar?

Answer 1

Hint: The answer is based on the fact about the existence form of the element and the compounds, that is whether they exist individually or in the form of combination. The one component is made up by the other in this particular question.

Complete step by step answer:
- We have known about the facts in the general part of chemistry which deals with the concept of elements or atoms and the compounds or also sometimes called as the substance.
Let us now see the similarity between the elements and compounds.
- Elements are the individual free existing species which are having one particular symbol and respective atomic numbers.
- Compounds are those species that are formed by the combination of two or more same or different atoms to give the combined form of the elements or atoms.
- Here, the elements can be diatomic or can also be monatomic or triatomic.
Now if we consider an example of ${{H}_{2}}O$ that is water, hydrogen atom combines with the oxygen atom to give a stable compound or molecule that is the water.
Similarly, if we take an example of ${{H}_{2}}$ then two individual hydrogen atoms are put together so that it forms a stable molecule that is a hydrogen molecule.
- Most of the elements especially which are the metals and noble gases are not found as molecules rather exist as atoms only and they either form the coordination compounds or the metallic bonding but does not hold the atoms together as molecules

Note: Here, you should note that elements are the term given to denote the existence of that particular atom and it does not mention whether that atom is diatomic, triatomic or polyatomic but only depicts the atomic number and their mass number with their respective symbol.