Question

Which of the following is an element?
(A) S
(B) \[S{{O}_{2}}\]
(C) \[C{{O}_{2}}\]
(D) All of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Atoms of the same or different element when combined together and form ionic or covalent bonds between them then they become compounds. Both differ from each other chemically and physically.

Complete step by step solution:

Let’s first define what are elements and what are compounds.
An element is a pure substance which cannot be broken down by chemical means, consisting of atoms which have identical numbers of protons in their atomic nuclei.
Any substance which consists of two or more different types of elements in a fixed stoichiometric proportion can be termed as a chemical compound.
Now let’s take a look at our options.
a. Sulphur (S) refers to a set of atoms that all have 16 protons, therefore, Sulphur is an element.
b. Sulfur dioxide (\[S{{O}_{2}}\]), is a chemical compound whose molecules are made up of one sulfur atom and two oxygen atoms. The dioxide is the acid anhydride (a compound that combines with water to form an acid) of sulfurous acid. Sulfur dioxide is a colorless, heavy, poisonous gas with a pungent, irritating odor familiar as the smell of a just-struck match.
c. Carbon dioxide (\[C{{O}_{2}}\]) is a chemical compound that consists of two oxygen atoms and one carbon atom. It is usually a gas and in solid form it is dry ice. It is a compound which is necessary for daily life as it is utilized by plants and exhaled by animals.
Therefore, from the above statements we can conclude that the correct option is (a).

Note: All compounds are molecules but not all the molecules are compounds. A compound consists of atoms or ions of two or more different elements in definite proportions joined by chemical bonds into a molecule.
For example, \[C{{l}_{2}}\] is a gas molecule but NaCl is a compound.