Elements,

Compounds and
Mixtures
 Elements
• A pure substance that cannot be broken down
into simpler substances by chemical process

Chemical symbol
• Composed of 1,2 or 3 letters used to
represent the elements in the periodic table.
 Let’s See if you can remember common
chemical symbols of the elements:
Name the element with the
Give their symbols: given symbol:
1. Oxygen 1. Pt
2. Helium 2. Hg
3. Carbon 3. Sb
4. Calcium 4. Sn
5. Copper 5. Ni
6. Chromium 6. Ne
7. Cobalt 7. Ba
8. Neon 8. Ra
9. Uranium 9. Rb
10. Silver 10. Po
 Comparing metals, metalloids and non-metals
METALS
❖ Shiny
❖ Mostly solids
❖ High melting point
❖ High boiling point
❖ ductile
❖ malleable
❖ Good heat conductor
❖ Good electrical
conductor
❖ Exceptions: Hg is liquid at
room temperature
❖ Hg and K have low
melting and boiling
points
METALLOIDS NON-METALS
❖ shiny ❖ dull
❖ solids ❖ Gases volatile liquids or
solids
❖ High melting point ❖ Low melting point
❖ High boiling point ❖ Low boiling point
❖ brittle ❖ Brittle if solid
❖ Can conduct heat ❖ Poor conductor of heat
❖ Can conduct electricity ❖ poor conductor of
electricity
❖ Exceptions: graphite and
diamond can conduct
heat (these are forms of
Carbon)
 Atoms and Molecules
Atom – smallest particle of an
element that has the chemical
properties of that element
krypton atom radon atom xenon atom
Monatomic element – exists
as individual atoms

Molecule – a group of two or

more atoms that are
chemically combined
Diatomic molecules- formed by
the combination of two atoms. H2 molecule
S8 molecule P4 molecule

Polyatomic molecules –
contain three or more
atoms
Ozone (O3) molecule
 Compounds
• A pure substance containing two or more
elements that are chemically combined.
A compound can be made
up of molecules

A compound can be made up

of ions
 Properties of Compounds
➢ A compound has different properties from the elements that form it.
Ex. magnesium + oxygen magnesium oxide
(silvery solid) (colorless gas) (white solid)
➢ A compound can be represented by a chemical formula. This is written by putting together
the chemical symbols of the elements that make up the compound. It tells us the following
information:
1. the types of atoms present in the compound
2. the ratio and/or number of atoms present in the
compound
Example:
The subscript tells us that
there are two atoms of

H2O
The symbols tell us that
hydrogen in one molecule.
hydrogen and oxygen are
Thus the ratio of hydrogen to
present in the compound
oxygen atoms is 2:1.
 Pb(NO3)2
1 lead atom 1 lead atom1 x 2 = 3 oxygen x 2 =
2 nitrogen atoms 6 oxygen atoms

The ratio of the atoms in Lead (II) nitrate is

1:2:6
➢A compound can be subjected to electrolysis
or heating strongly to decompose it into its
component elements
Electrolysis is the process of using
Thermal decomposition involves
electricity to decompose a
heating the compound strongly.
compound.

Example: mercury(II) oxide can Example: water is decomposed

Decompose by thermal heating into hydrogen and oxygen by
Into mercury and oxygen. electrolysis.
 Mixtures
➢It is made up of two or more substances which
are not chemically combined.