Elements & Compounds Introduction

ELEMENTS - consists of only one kind of atom, cannot be broken down into a simpler type of matter by either physical or chemical means, and can exist as either atoms (example: 1 atom of oxygen) or molecules (more than one of the same atom example O2 (2 atoms of oxygen)).

COMPOUNDS - consist of atoms of two or more different elements bound together, that can be broken down into a simpler type of matter (elements) by chemical means (but not by physical means), has properties that are different from its component elements, and always contains the same ratio of its component atoms.