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Learn how different types of atoms are called elements and how they are unique.
Imagine you have a giant box of LEGO bricks, but every single brick is the exact same size, shape, and color. In the world of science, when everything is made of just one 'flavor' of building block, we call it an element!
Everything in the universe is made of tiny building blocks called atoms. Most things around you, like a toasted sandwich or a bicycle, are made of many different types of atoms mixed together. However, an element is special. An element is a pure substance made of only one specific kind of atom.
Think of it like a bowl of fruit. If the bowl has apples, oranges, and grapes, it is a mixture. But if the bowl has only red apples, it is like an element! Because every atom in an element is the same, the element has its own unique 'personality' or properties.
Quick Check
If you have a piece of pure Silver, how many different types of atoms will you find inside it?
Answer
Only one type of atom.
There are over 100 different elements, but some are famous because we see them every day!
1. Oxygen: This is a gas element. You can't see it, but you breathe it in to stay alive! 2. Gold: This is a shiny, yellow metal element. It is very soft and stays shiny forever, which is why people use it for jewelry. 3. Iron: This is a strong, grey metal element. It is used to build giant bridges and skyscrapers.
Each of these is an element because a piece of pure gold contains only gold atoms, and a tank of pure oxygen contains only oxygen atoms.
Let's look at a shiny 24-karat gold coin. 1. Look at the color: It is bright yellow. 2. Look at the atoms: Every single atom inside is a gold atom. 3. Conclusion: Because it is made of only one kind of atom, the coin is an element.
Quick Check
Which element is a gas that we need to breathe?
Answer
Oxygen
Every element has its own properties. A property is something you can observe or measure. For example, some elements are solids at room temperature (like Iron), while others are gases (like Oxygen).
Some elements have very cool 'superpowers.' Iron is magnetic, which means it can be pulled by a magnet. Gold is excellent at reflecting light. Scientists use these properties to tell elements apart. Even though they are all made of atoms, a 'Gold' atom behaves very differently than an 'Iron' atom!
Imagine you have two silver-colored metal bars. One is the element Iron and one is the element Aluminum. 1. Bring a magnet close to the first bar. It sticks! This property tells us it is likely Iron. 2. Bring a magnet to the second bar. It does NOT stick. 3. Even though they look similar, their different properties prove they are different elements.
If you have a microscopic sample of a substance and you count atoms. 1. You find that atoms are Iron atoms (). 2. You find atom is a Carbon atom (). 3. Is this a pure element? No! Because there is more than one kind of atom present, it is no longer a pure element.
What is an element made of?
Which of these is a property of the element Gold?
Oxygen and Iron are different elements because their atoms have different properties.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow, try to name three elements you might find in your house and remember if they are solids, liquids, or gases.
Practice Activity
Go on an 'Element Hunt!' Look at a cast-iron pan or a piece of gold jewelry and remind yourself that they are made of trillions of the exact same type of atom.