What is the smallest unit of an element?

What is the smallest unit of an element?

• A. Atom
• B. Electron
• C. Molecule
• D. Proton

Answer: (A)

The smallest unit of an element is the atom because it preserves the element’s chemical properties. An atom contains a nucleus with protons and neutrons and is surrounded by electrons, and the element’s identity is determined by the number of protons in the nucleus. A molecule is made of two or more atoms bonded together, so it is larger than a single element’s basic unit. Subatomic particles like electrons or individual protons don’t by themselves define the element; it’s the whole atom that carries the element’s characteristic properties.

The smallest unit of an element is the atom because it preserves the element’s chemical properties. An atom contains a nucleus with protons and neutrons and is surrounded by electrons, and the element’s identity is determined by the number of protons in the nucleus. A molecule is made of two or more atoms bonded together, so it is larger than a single element’s basic unit. Subatomic particles like electrons or individual protons don’t by themselves define the element; it’s the whole atom that carries the element’s characteristic properties.