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Chemistry Notes Chapter 2 — Elements,
Compounds and Mixtures
Made by Kenneth E. Husin
Table of Contents
• Elements and Compounds
o Definition of Elements
Chemical Symbol of Elements
o Atoms & Molecules
o Definition of Compounds
Composition of Compounds
Properties of Compounds
Naming of Compounds
Chemical Formula of a Compound
Decomposition of Compounds
o Differences Between Elements and Compounds
• Mixtures
o Definition of Mixtures
o Differences Between Mixtures and Compounds
• Review Questions and Sources
Elements and Compounds
Definition of Elements
An element is a pure substance that cannot be broken down into two or more simpler
substances by chemical processes. The primary par�cle that cons�tutes a chemical element is the
, Page |2 Cambridge IGCSE™ Chemistry 16/08/2024
atom. Elements are iden�fied by the number of protons in their nucleus, known as the element's
atomic number.
An example of an element found in the Earth’s atmosphere is Oxygen (O2). Oxygen comprises
8 protons and 8 electrons, thus an atomic number of 8. The oxygen in our atmosphere can’t be broken
down into simpler substances via chemical substances.
Chemical symbols of elements
Chemists use chemical symbols to represent elements. A chemical symbol consists of one or
two leters. If the symbol contains two leters, the first leter is always capitalized, while the second is
lowercase.
Earlier chemical element symbols were based on classical Latin and Greek terminology, while
for others, the name was invented more recently. For example, Pb is the sign for lead (plumbum in
La�n), and Hg is the symbol for mercury (hydrargyrum in Greek). Some symbols originate from other
languages, such as W for tungsten (Wolfram in German).
Element Symbol Element Symbol
Calcium Ca Mercury Hg
Carbon C Neon Ne
Chlorine Cl Oxygen O
Hydrogen H Silicon Si
Iron Fe Sulfur S
Elements can exist as atoms or molecules
Atoms & Molecules
Atoms are the smallest par�cles of an element that have the chemical proper�es of that
element. Each element contains only one type of atom. An atom comprises a nucleus of protons and
neutrons, surrounded by an electromagne�cally bound swarm of electrons. The number of protons in
each atom dis�nguishes the chemical elements from one another.
Noble gases, such as helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), xenon (Xe), and radon
(Rn), are elements that exist as individual atoms. They are monatomic elements. All these elements
are in group number VIII.
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