Elements, compounds, mixtures

Question 1

What is an element?

Answer 1

An element is a pure substance made of only one type of atom.

Cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means. Made of atoms with the same number of protons.

Question 2

What is a mixture?

Answer 2

A mixture is a combination of two or more substances (elements or compounds) that are not chemically bonded.

Can be separated by physical methods. No chemical bonds are broken. Each substance retains its original properties. No fixed ratio.

Question 3

What is a compound?

Answer 3

A compound is a substance made of two or more different types of atoms chemically bonded together.

Has different properties from the elements it’s made of (due to ionic or covalent bonds). Can only be separated by chemical methods (because bonds between atoms are too strong for physical separation). Contains a fixed ratio of atoms.

Question 4

What is an ionic bond?

Answer 4

Ionic bonds form when atoms transfer electrons, creating strong electrical attractions that form the compound.

Question 5

What is a covalent bond?

Answer 5

Covalent bonds form when atoms share electrons, creating strong bonds.