The Elements (Oxford AQA IGCSE Combined Science Double Award)
Revision Note
Written by: Richard Boole
Reviewed by: Stewart Hird
Atoms & Elements
In chemistry, elements are substances that are made up of only one type of atom
The chemical elements are listed in the periodic table
A simple periodic table
Atoms of each element are represented by a chemical symbol
For example, an atom of oxygen is represented by O
Worked Example
Complete the table to:
Identify the chemical symbol for an element
Identify an element from its chemical symbol
Element | Symbol | Element | Symbol |
|---|---|---|---|
C | Sulfur | ||
Chlorine | Na | ||
N | Aluminium |
Answers:
Element | Symbol | Element | Symbol |
|---|---|---|---|
Carbon | C | Sulfur | S |
Chlorine | Cl | Sodium | Na |
Nitrogen | N | Aluminium | Al |
Elements can be grouped into two categories:
Atoms - made from single particles
Molecules - made from more than one particle chemically joined together
Examples of elements
Elements cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means
But, they can be reacted together to make more complex substances
Elements are, therefore, considered to be the basic building blocks of all substances
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