Elements, Mixtures and Compounds

This topic covers elements, mixtures and compounds.

Elements: Elements are substances which cannot be split into simpler substances by any known chemical methods. They are all given a name and a chemical symbol. Altogether there are 109 known elements, and are all listed in the periodic table with their atomic mass, chemical symbol and atomic number.

The table below is the periodic table.

Mixtures: Mixtures are elements mixed together and they can be separated by physical methods such as distillation, filtration, using a magnet and evaporation. Mixtures also have properties similar to its constituent elements. Mixtures such as air are combinations of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen, etc.etc.

Compounds: Compounds are elements( 2 or more) chemically combined. They can only be separated by chemical methods such as burning, electrolysis etc.etc. Compounds have properties different from its constituent elements. Examples of such compounds are water, magnesium oxide and sodium chloride. However, compounds can only form if the elements are joined in the correct proportion. Eg. Water only forms when 1 part hydrogen mixes with 1 part oxygen.