What Is the Relationship Between Matter Atoms & Elements?
Albert Einstein's equation E=mc² quantifies the interchange of matter into energy or energy into matter. Even as energy exists in a variety of forms, so does matter. There are dozens of types of subatomic particles, but the best known are the electron, the proton and the neutron.
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Atoms
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Atoms are made up of electrons, protons and neutrons. The word atom is taken from the Greek "atomos," which means something that cannot be divided further (while maintaining identity).
Structure
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All atoms consist of an inner, relatively heavy, positively charged core called the nucleus; and, some distance away, one or more negatively charged, rapidly moving, lightweight particles somewhat restrained in space in what are called "orbitals."
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Elements
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Elements cannot be reduced to anything simpler by ordinary chemical procedures. The complete assortment of elements (about 90 existing in nature plus additional man-made elements) are determined solely by the number of protons in their nuclei.
Simplest Example
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Consider hydrogen. Hydrogen can have one, two or even three neutrons in its nucleus, yet it is the one proton in every atom that makes it hydrogen. Since the proton has a plus charge, hydrogen atoms have one electron with an equal but negative charge.
Periodic Table
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The collection of atom varieties called elements can be found classified according to proton count and chemical properties in the Periodic Table of the Elements. Among those elements are oxygen, iron, carbon and aluminum. Combining elements with each other produces all the different molecules of the known universe.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Pedro Vera
