How do atoms and molecules relate to each other?

1 Answer
bunny
Apr 25, 2016

Atom is the shortest identity of a compound made of same elements. And molecules are made of one or more atoms. You must have atom in a molecule.

Explanation:

If you take the example of #H_2# :
There are two atoms in it but #H_2# represents 1 molecule of hydrogen.
If you take the example of #H_2O#,then there are two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen in 1 molecule of water ( i.e. #H_2O#).
But we can not say 'Water atom' as easily as we say 'water molecule' as the the identity is not correct. So for a compound made of different elements, the word "atom"can't be used to represent it.

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