BiologyCLASS 9CBSE
answered 12 May 2026What is an element? How is it different from a compound? Provide one example for each.
A.VERIFIED ANSWERfact-checked by tutors
An element is a pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means. It consists of only one type of atom.
Example:
Oxygen (O), Iron (Fe). A compound is a pure substance formed when two or more elements chemically combine in a fixed ratio. It has properties entirely different from its constituent elements. Example: Water (H₂O), Carbon dioxide (CO₂).
The key difference is that elements are the simplest forms of matter, while compounds are formed by the chemical combination of elements.