Judge the following statements as true or false. If you believe a statement to be false, provide a corrected version. (a) Air and water are both elements.

Key Concepts

Elements vs. Compounds

Elements are pure substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means. They consist of only one type of atom, such as oxygen (O) or hydrogen (H). Compounds, on the other hand, are substances formed when two or more elements chemically bond together, like water (H2O), which is made of hydrogen and oxygen.

Composition of Air

Air is a mixture of gases, primarily nitrogen (about 78%) and oxygen (about 21%), along with trace amounts of other gases like carbon dioxide and argon. Unlike elements, mixtures can be separated into their individual components without chemical reactions. Therefore, air is not an element but a complex mixture.

Water as a Compound

Water is classified as a compound because it consists of two hydrogen atoms covalently bonded to one oxygen atom (H2O). This chemical structure is distinct from elements, as it involves the combination of different types of atoms. Understanding this distinction is crucial for accurately categorizing substances in chemistry.