What is element: A chemical element is a substance

A chemical element is a substance that cannot be further broken down by any chemical reaction. Each element has a unique number of protons in its atom. For example, a hydrogen atom has 1 proton, while a carbon atom has 6 protons. Varying the number of electrons in an atom of an element produces ions. Changing the number of neutrons produces isotopes. There are 118 known elements . An element is a pure substance that consists of only one type of atoms or molecules. Learn about the properties, names, symbols, and types of elements, and how they differ from compounds and mixtures. Chemical elements . Atomic elements . Simple substances. Elements of the periodic table. These are all different terms for the same concept. A long time ago, “ elements ” used to mean earth, air, wind and fire – but that is no longer true. The idea of an “ element ”, a basic building block of matter, has piqued the curiosity of mankind for many ages. But in chemistry – what exactly is an element – how do we define it? History of an Element Aristotle decreed that there were four ...