Question

1. what is the difference between an atom and a molecule?

Explanation:

An atom is the smallest unit of an element, consisting of protons, neutrons, and electrons. A molecule is formed when two or more atoms bond together chemically. Atoms can exist independently (e.g., noble gas atoms), while molecules are combinations of atoms (e.g., \(H_2O\) molecule from \(H\) and \(O\) atoms). Atoms are identified by their atomic number (number of protons), molecules are identified by their molecular formula (showing types and numbers of atoms).

Answer:

An atom is the smallest unit of an element (with protons, neutrons, electrons), can exist alone (e.g., noble gas atoms). A molecule is formed by 2+ atoms bonding (e.g., \(H_2O\) from \(H\) and \(O\) atoms), identified by molecular formula.