Everything around us — the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and even our own bodies — is made up of matter. Matter, in turn, is made up of tiny particles called atoms and molecules. Let’s understand what these are and how they form the building blocks of everything.
An atom is the most basic particle of an element that still exhibits the element’s chemical behavior. Atoms are so tiny that they cannot be seen even under a microscope. Despite their size, they are made up of even smaller particles:
At the center of an atom lies the nucleus, which houses protons and neutrons. Electrons revolve around this nucleus in defined energy levels or shells.
Each element is represented by a unique chemical symbol. For example:
A molecule is formed when two or more atoms combine chemically. Molecules are made up of atoms that may belong to the same element or different elements. They represent the smallest part of a compound that still exhibits the compound's chemical characteristics.
| Atom | Molecule |
|---|---|
| Smallest unit of an element | Smallest unit of a compound |
| Cannot exist freely in nature (in most cases) | Can exist independently |
| Example: H, O, Na | Example: H2, O2, H2O |
Understanding atoms and molecules is essential because all chemical reactions involve the rearrangement of atoms to form new molecules. These concepts form the foundation of chemistry and help us understand how substances interact, change, and form new materials.
Matter is composed of fundamental units known as atoms and molecules. Atoms combine in various ways to form molecules, which make up everything we see and use in our daily lives.
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