Definition of an Element
Subject:
Chemistry [1]
Tags:
Elements
Any substance that contains only one kind of an atom is known as an element. Because atoms cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction, elements such as phosphorus (P4) or sulfur (S8) cannot be broken down into simpler substances by these reactions.
Example: Water decomposes into a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen when an electric current is passed through the liquid. Hydrogen and oxygen, on the other hand, cannot be decomposed into simpler substances. They are therefore the elementary, or simplest, chemical substances - elements.
Each element is represented by a unique symbol. The notation for each element can be found on the periodic table of elements.