User:DiamondCoder/sandbox

The atom
The atom is one of the most basic building blocks in chemistry. It is composed of 3 things: protons(+), neutrons, and electrons(-). protons and neutrons are in a part of the atom called the nucleus. The electrons are in a field around the nucleus called the electron cloud.

Note: protons and electrons are like bar magnets, with north and south poles. when a proton and an electron come close, they attract. If you try to put 2 protons or 2 electrons together, they repel. Because of this, if you have an atom, there will be some pushing and pulling going on.

The element
On a periodic table, you can find all the known elements. There also is:
 * Atomic number-how many protons are in the element
 * Name-name of the element
 * Atomic mass-the average mass of the element



Chemical Compound
When 2 or more elements combine, It's called a chemical compound. Examples:
 * Water- H2O
 * Carbon dioxide- CO3
 * Table salt- NaCl