Can a molecule be an element?
Molecules of most elements are made up of only one atom of that element. So, if a molecule is what you get when any atoms join together then no, a molecule can not be an element
I agree, molecules are if two or more atoms form chemical bonds with each other.
To determine if a molecule can be an element, we need to understand what molecules and elements are.
A molecule is a group of two or more atoms chemically bonded together. These atoms can be the same element or different elements. For example, a molecule of water (H2O) consists of two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom.
An element, on the other hand, is a substance composed of only one type of atom. Every atom of a particular element has the same number of protons in its nucleus. Examples of elements include hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon.
In most cases, molecules are composed of multiple atoms, consisting of different elements. However, there are some elements that exist as molecules of single atoms. These are known as monatomic molecules. Examples include noble gases like helium (He), neon (Ne), and argon (Ar). In these cases, the individual atoms are the same element, so a monatomic molecule can represent an element.
In summary, while most molecules are composed of multiple atoms and cannot be considered elements, there are specific cases where certain elements exist as monatomic molecules.