• Question: why are there so many different groups of elements, compounds and mixtures?

    Asked by bethbraithwaite to Davie, Gemma, James P, James V, Nuala on 26 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: James Pope

      James Pope answered on 26 Jun 2012:

      Hi bethbraithwaite,

      At the lowest level, everything is made of atoms and these atoms are made up of combinations of protons and neutrons in their nucleus. Every atom is just a different combination and some of these atoms are very stable and last forever and others are very unstable and last for fractions of seconds, measured only in special labs looking for them.

      Some of these atoms can join with other atoms to form molecules of other substances (so 2 oxygen atoms and a carbon atom make carbon dioxide) and this can happen many times over, giving us even more elements and compounds, just through mixing and joining. It isn’t infinate because not everything will join with other things, but where it can it usually does, giving us a wonderful variety and allowing so much life to occur, as we would be nothing (literally!) without these atoms, elements and compounds!

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