The atoms and molecules They are elements that are part of our matter but they are very different from each other. While some are the indivisible part of matter, others form the elements that we can see in our environment. In this OneHowTo article we are going to help you understand more deeply our world and how it works, that’s why we tell you what is the difference between atom and molecule so that, in this way, you understand what all this consists of, what we call life.
What is an atom
Before you know what is the difference between atom and molecule we have to understand the meaning of each of these particles. On the one hand, atoms are the basic elements that make up matter, their size is 0.1 to 0.5 nanometers wide and they are not even visible to the human eye when using devices such as the microscope.
There are different types of atoms, and each of them has a specific mass and size. When we group these atoms by type, that is when we determine the chemical elements. So far 118 elements have been discovered that have been divided into:
- Metals
- Metalloids
- No metals
These elements are found in the periodic table and have been distributed according to their number of atoms.
The composition of the atoms
An atom is made up of protons, neutrons (found in the nucleus, that is, in the center of it) and electrons that revolve around it. The latter are attached to the nucleus thanks to the electromagnetic force exerted by the center of the atom since the electrons have a negative charge, while the rest have a positive charge.
The atoms of the different elements can join and that is when molecules are formed. This takes place thanks to different chemical reactions.
In OneHowTo we show you how to calculate the number of protons, electrons and neutrons in an atom.
What is a molecule
Now let’s see what is a molecule. It is the smallest part of a substance and is made up of atoms that are different from each other and, therefore, are separated from each other. The differentiating thing about molecules is that they can react differently than the elements that compose them would, that is, water (molecule) has a different behavior than oxygen or hydrogen (atoms).
Atoms can be linked together in different ways and, therefore, molecules can have a different appearance with hexagonal, pentagonal shapes, and so on; moreover, they also tend to bind to other molecules.
At a technical level, molecules are presented with a formula known as “molecular formula“It is made up of the name of the element in question followed by the number of atoms in the molecules, so an example of this would be:
The differences between atoms and molecules
So that, the difference between atom and molecule it is that atoms are what make up matter and, instead, molecules are made up of different atoms that have joined together. This is the main difference.
But, in addition, atoms do not exist individually in nature, they are always attached to another element. However, when a molecule is formed, it can exist individually in the environment, for this reason, we can find a molecule of water, carbon, and so on.
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