Read over the following information.

Elements, Compounds And The Atomic Theory

Atoms are the base of chemistry! They are the base for everything in the Universe! Matter is composed of atoms. The Particle Theory states that all matter is made of particles. The Atomic Theory goes farther to say that there is a difference between elements and compounds.

Atoms are the smallest particles of elements. Since there are about 100 elements, there are about 100 kinds of atoms. Atoms can join together in many combinations to form molecules.

If the atoms of a molecule are the same, the substance is an element. If the atoms of a molecule are different, the substance is a compound.

Classify each item as either an element (E), a compound (C), or a mixture (M). Use this site's glossary for definitions of these terms. You may also use the periodic table to help you identify elements.

Compounds and Their Proportions

All elements are represented by a chemical symbol. It is either a single capital letter, or a capital letter followed by a small letter.

Combinations of symbols represent compounds. These compounds are called chemical formulas.

If no number is shown beside the symbol, a 1 is understood.

If more than 1 atom is present, a small number is shown after the atom to indicate how many atoms are in the compound.

Read through the following "Molecule Building Assignment." Your teacher will assign you one of the options below.

Use an actual Molecular Building Kit to put molecules together. They usually come with different colours of atoms and springs which work as the actual bonds between the molecules. In the kits, the atoms all have the proper number of holes. So you know that you must have all holes filled by a bond to have a complete molecule.

Create molecules out of marshmallows and licorice. Use mini marshmallows (as the atoms) and licorice (as the bonds). Note the information on the colors of the various atoms and the amount of holes per atom and use the various colors of marshmallows to differentiate between the different atoms. Jubejubes and toothpicks work well too. The jubejubes are not perfectly round, but the you get the point. Once you have completed all of your molecules and your teacher has checked your work....EAT AWAY! Remember to verify the number of holes per atom on the assignment sheet because different atoms have a different number of chemical bonds!