Differentiate between an atom and a molecule.
Answer
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Hint: Atoms are made up of subatomic particles while molecules are made up of atoms.
Complete answer:
Atoms are the fundamental particle of an element but atoms combine to form a molecule. Let us understand the difference between atoms and molecules in a detailed manner.
Note: Don’t confuse between molecules and compounds. Always remember the atoms of elements combine to form molecules of compounds. Compounds are made up of two or more atoms of different types of elements but molecules are made up of two or more atoms of the same or different elements. In other words, all compounds are molecules but all molecules are not compounds.
Complete answer:
Atoms are the fundamental particle of an element but atoms combine to form a molecule. Let us understand the difference between atoms and molecules in a detailed manner.
| Atoms | Molecules |
| Atoms are the most fundamental part of an element that can exist. All the elements are composed of atoms and these atoms take part in the chemical reactions of the elements. | When two or more atoms chemically bond together, they form a molecule. If two or more atoms of the same element combine together they form a molecule. |
| The atoms may or may not be stable and exist independently while the molecules are stable and can exist independently. This is because, other than the noble gases, the valence shell does not have fulfilled electrons. | The deficiency or excess of electrons in the valence shell leads to the formation of chemical bonds and in this way molecules are formed. Thus molecules are stable and independent. |
| The atoms are made up of subatomic particles such as the positively charged protons, the negatively charged electrons, and the electrically neutral neutrons. | The molecules formed by covalent bonds are made up of neutral atoms sharing electrons and the molecules formed by ionic bonds are made up of electrically charged atoms known as ions in the case of ionic bonds. Positively charged ions are called cations while negatively charged ions are called anions. |
| Some examples of atoms are:Hydrogen – H, Chlorine – Cl, Sulphur – S, Phosphorus – P, Oxygen – O, | Some examples of molecules are:Hydrogen – ${ H }_{ 2 }$, Chlorine – ${ Cl }_{ 2 }$, Sulphur – ${ S }_{ 8 }$ , Phosphorus – ${ P }_{ 4 }$ , Oxygen – ${ O }_{ 2 }$ |
Note: Don’t confuse between molecules and compounds. Always remember the atoms of elements combine to form molecules of compounds. Compounds are made up of two or more atoms of different types of elements but molecules are made up of two or more atoms of the same or different elements. In other words, all compounds are molecules but all molecules are not compounds.
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