Elements, Compounds and Mixtures

Topic Content:

Classification of Matter:

Matter can be classified according to its composition. The main groups considered here are elements, compounds and mixtures .

Elements and compounds are pure substances , while mixtures contain two or more substances that are physically combined.

Elements:

An element is a pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by ordinary chemical means. Each element consists of only one type of atom.

Examples of elements include hydrogen , oxygen , carbon , chlorine , sodium , magnesium and iron .

Elements are arranged according to their atomic numbers in the Periodic Table . They are commonly classified as metals , non-metals and metalloids based on their properties.

Compounds:

A compound is a pure substance formed when two or more different elements are chemically combined