Element vs Compound — Difference (with Table)
Element vs Compound compared side by side — a 5-row comparison table and 4 key points. Class 9 Chemistry, free and no sign-up.
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TL;DR: Element vs Compound compared side by side — a 5-row comparison table and 4 key points. Class 9 Chemistry, free and no sign-up.
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The main difference between Element and Compound: Elements and compounds are fundamental building blocks of matter in chemistry, essential for CBSE Class 9 and 10 students. Understanding their differences
Element vs Compound — Comparison Table
| Basis | Element | Compound |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Pure substance made of only one type of atom | Pure substance made of two or more elements |
| Number of atoms | One type of atom | Two or more types of atoms |
| Can be broken down | Cannot be broken into simpler substances | Can be broken into elements by chemical reaction |
| Properties | Fixed, unique properties | Different properties than component elements |
| Examples | Oxygen (O), Hydrogen (H), Gold (Au) | Water (H2O), Salt (NaCl), Sugar (C12H22O11) |
Key Points
- Elements are pure substances of one type; compounds contain two or more elements
- There are 118 known elements on the periodic table
- Compounds have fixed chemical formulas (e.g., H2O always has 2 hydrogen and 1 oxygen)
- Millions of compounds can be formed from 118 elements through different combinations