Topic 2: Elements, compounds and experimental
techniques
1 The basics
A Atoms
An element is made up of billions of atoms. If you split a piece of element, you will end up with the
smallest particle that has the chemical properties of that whole piece of element. This smallest
particle is an atom of that element.
Atom: The smallest particle of an element that has the chemical properties of that element.
An atom can also be further split into sub-atomic particles protons, neutrons and electrons.
B Elements
Element: A pure substance that cannot be broken up into simpler substances by chemical means or
by electricity.
Examples of elements: carbon, iron, sulphur, mercury, iodine, silicon
A particular element is made up of only one type of atoms. For example, iron is an element made
up of iron atoms only.
Elements can be categorised as metals, non-metals and metalloids.
Property Metal Non-metal
Physical state room Usually solid (but mercury is Solid, liquid or gas
temperature and pressure liquid)
(r.t.p)
Malleability Good Poor – usually soft or brittle
Ductility Good Poor – usually soft or brittle
Appearance (solid) Shiny (lustrous) Dull
Melting point Usually high Usually low
Boling point Usually high Usually low
Density Usually high Usually low
Conductivity (thermal and Good Very poor
electrical)
Metalloids have properties somewhat between metals and non-metals. For example, silicon is a
metalloid: it is solid at room temperature (like a metal) but it is also brittle (like a non-metal).
An atom of an element is represented by a chemical symbol: Na (Sodium), Cl (Chlorine), C
(Carbon), Si (Silicon)
C Molecules
Molecule: A group of two or more atoms that are chemically joined together.
For example, two atoms of element hydrogen joint to form one hydrogen molecule (H2). Such
molecules are called diatomic molecules. Atoms can also join in larger numbers. For example,
phosphorous has four atoms (P4) and sulfur has eight atoms (S8).
Different types of atoms can also join to form molecules. Eg: H2O (water) , C6H12O6 (glucose)
Some elements exist as single atoms. Eg Helium (He), Neon (Ne) and Argon (Ar). They are called
monoatomic molecules.
D Compounds
Compound: A pure substance formed when two or more elements chemically combine together.
For example, one oxygen (element) atom and two hydrogen (element) atoms chemically combine
to form one water (compound) molecule.
H
H H
O O
H
2 hydrogen 1 oxygen 1 water
atoms atom molecule
ICGSE Chemistry revision notes 4 © Mohamed Farzan
E Mixtures
Mixture: A substance which contains more than one other substances (elements and/or compounds).
Examples: Sea water (a mixture of water, salts and air), air (contains nitrogen, oxygen, carbon
dioxide etc, steel (contains iron and carbon), alloys
2 Chemical formulas
A Chemical equations
Chemical equations can be word equations or written using symbols.
Word equation Using symbols
hydrogen + oxygen water H2 + O2 H2O
sodium + chlorine sodium chloride Na + Cl2 NaCl
A chemical equation represents a chemical change or chemical reaction.
Some common compounds:
Compound Formula Compound Formula
Ammonia NH3 Nitric acid HNO3
Calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2 Sodium carbonate Na2CO3
Copper sulfate CuSO4 Sodium hydroxide NaOH
Ethanol (an alcohol) C2H5OH Sulfuric acid H2SO4
Glucose C6H12O6 Hydrochloric acid HCl
B Balancing chemical equations
In all chemical reactions the total mass of the reactant(s) is the equal to the total mass of the
product(s). Therefore, chemical equations should be balanced.
Step 1: Write the reactants and products. H2 + O2 H2O
Step 2: Write a number to balance the 2H2 + O2 2H2O
number of particles in the reactants and (4 H atoms and 2 O atoms on either side)
the products.
Examples of balanced chemical equations
1. 2Mg + O2 2MgO
2. CaCO3 + 2HCl CaCl2 + H2O + CO2
Balanced equations often include the physical state symbols:
(s) = solid, (l) = liquid, (g) = gas, (aq) = aqueous solution
CaCO3 (s)+ 2HCl (aq) CaCl2 (aq) + H2O (l) + CO2 (g)
ICGSE Chemistry revision notes 5 © Mohamed Farzan
