What is the difference between a compound and a molecule?
To understand the difference between a compound and a molecule, let's start by defining each term:
A molecule is the smallest unit of a chemical compound that retains the chemical properties of that compound. It consists of two or more atoms chemically bonded together. Molecules can be made up of atoms of the same element (such as O2, which is an oxygen molecule) or different elements (such as H2O, which is a water molecule made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom).
On the other hand, a compound is a substance composed of two or more different elements chemically bonded together. It is a type of molecule that always contains atoms of more than one element. Compounds have a distinct chemical formula that represents the ratio of atoms of each element in the compound. Examples of compounds include water (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and sodium chloride (NaCl).
So, to summarize, all compounds are molecules, but not all molecules are compounds. Molecules can be either compounds (containing multiple elements) or simply molecules of a single element.