chemical element
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AI overview
A chemical element is a type of substance made up of atoms that all have the same number of protons in their nucleus and behave the same way chemically, even though individual atoms of that element might have different masses or levels of stability. Chemical elements matter because they are the fundamental building blocks of all matter, and understanding them helps us identify and predict how different substances will interact with each other.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Wikidata facts
- Subclass of
- chemical substance
- Part of
- chemical compound
- Image
- Periodic table (32-col, enwiki), black and white.png
Show 11 more facts
- P1889
- elemental
- P2579
- chemistry
- P828
- atomic number
- P5008
Article
The chemical elements ordered in the periodic table, as shown in the 32-column format
A chemical element is a species of atom defined by its number of protons. The number of protons is called the atomic number of that element. For example, oxygen has an atomic number of 8: each oxygen atom has 8 protons in its nucleus. Atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei, known as isotopes of the element. Atoms of one element can be transformed into atoms of a different element in nuclear reactions, which change an atom's atomic number. Almost all baryonic matter in the universe is composed of elements (among rare exceptions are neutron stars).