Difference Between Atom And Molecule Last Updated : 02 Apr, 2024 Comments Improve Suggest changes Like Article Like Report Atoms and Molecules are the basic building blocks of all matter around us. There are some fundamental differences between atoms and molecules but they are essential in understanding the behavior of the world around us. Initially, atoms were thought to be indestructible, i.e. we can not further break an atom into other parts. But later it was confirmed that atoms can be further divided into fundamental particles. Molecules are groups of one or more types of atoms that combined in a fixed ratio to form a compound. The basic difference is that an atom is a single structure whereas, a molecule is a structure made of multiple atoms of the same or different kinds. In this article, we will learn about, Atoms, Molecules, their differences, and others in detail. Table of Content Atoms DefinitionMolecules DefinitionDifference between Atoms and MoleculesAtoms DefinitionAtoms are the basic unit of matter, and they are the smallest particle that retains the chemical properties of an element. Atoms are composed of three types of particles: ProtonsNeutronsElectrons. The protons and neutrons are located in the nucleus, which is at the center of the atom. The electrons revolve in shells or energy levels surrounding the nucleus. Atoms are classified based on the number of protons in their nucleus, which is referred to as the atomic number. The property of elements varies by the number of protons in the atom's nucleus. Characteristics of an AtomVarious characteristics of an atom are, Atoms are the basic fundamental building blocks of all types of matter.Atoms are made up of even smaller particles called electrons, protons, and neutrons.In an atom protons and neutrons are inside its nucleus and electrons revolve around it.A proton in an atom is a positively charged species, an electron is a negatively charged species, and a neutron is a neutral species.As a whole, an atom is an electrically neutral species.An atom can donate and accept an electron.If an atom donates an electron it became positively charged called a cation.If an atom accepts an electron it became negatively charged called an anion.Molecules DefinitionMolecules are defined as the group of atoms chemically bonded together. Molecules can be composed of the same type of atom or different types of atoms. When atoms bond, they form a more stable structure called a molecule. Different types of chemical bonds can form between atoms, including covalent bonds, ionic bonds, and metallic bonds. In covalent bonding, atoms share electrons, while in ionic bonding, one atom transfers electrons to another atom. Metallic bonds are the special types of bonds generally formed between metals of d-blocks by the sharing of their electrons that differ from other types of bonds. Characteristics of a MoleculeVarious characteristics of a molecule are, All the compounds around us are made up of molecules.A molecule can exist in a solid, liquid, or gaseous state.A molecule is formed by combining two or more atoms in a fixed ratio.Various atoms in any molecule combined using different types of bondsFor a molecule, the ratio of combining different atoms never changes.Some examples of the molecules are, H2O (Water molecule), O2 (Oxygen molecule), NH3 (Ammonia molecule), etc.The image added below shows a water molecule and a hydrogen atom, hydrogen atoms are highly unstable and generally, it did not exist in nature, it always reacts with other elements to form other stable compounds Learn more about Molecular MassMolecules and CompoundsMolecular Weight FormulaDifference between Atoms and MoleculesThe differences between atoms and molecules can be understood in the table discussed below, Characteristics Atoms Molecules DefinitionAtoms are the smallest unit of an element that can exist either alone or in combination with other atomsMolecules are formed when two or more atoms of different or the same elements chemically combine to form a stable particle.Composition Atoms are composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons Molecules are composed of two or more atoms bonded together by covalent, ionic, or metallic bonds.Size Atoms are extremely small in size, with a diameter ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 nanometersMolecules are comparatively larger in size than atoms, with a diameter ranging from 0.1 to 10 nanometers.ShapeSphericalDepending on the bond between the atoms it can be linear, triangular, etc.Type Atoms can be of the same element or different elements.Molecules can only be formed by different or the same elements chemically combining.ReactivityHighly ReactiveComparatively Less ReactiveExamples Examples of atoms include Hydrogen(H), Carbon(C), Oxygen(O), etc.Examples of molecules include Water (H2O), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Glucose (C6H12O6), etc.Read More, Composition of an AtomDiscovery of ElectronsAtomic Models Comment More infoAdvertise with us Next Article Chemical Formula A akash23495 Follow Improve Article Tags : Difference Between School Learning Chemistry Versus Physical-Chemistry Chemistry-Difference-Between Chemistry-Concepts +3 More Similar Reads CBSE Class 9 Science Notes 2023-2024 CBSE Class 9 Science Notes for the academic year 2023-2024 serve as a crucial foundation for students' further education. 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