Models of Substances: Elementary or Compound?

Which substances are considered elementary substances?

Look at the models of the substances below. Select all the elementary substances.

gallium arsenide

tungsten carbide

C

O

Si

silicon

silicon dioxide

Ga

As

W

diamond

silicon carbide

Elementary Substances

The elementary substances from your list are C, Si, Ga, As, W, and diamond. Substances made up of more than one element (like gallium arsenide, silicon dioxide, etc.) are not considered elementary substances.

Chemistry often categorizes substances into elementary and compound substances. An elementary substance represents a single element, while a compound substance is composed of more than one element bonded together.

From the list provided, the following substances are considered elementary substances:

  • C (Carbon)
  • Si (Silicon)
  • Ga (Gallium)
  • As (Arsenic)
  • W (Tungsten)
  • Diamond (a form of Carbon)

On the other hand, substances like gallium arsenide, silicon dioxide, tungsten carbide, and silicon carbide are not elementary substances because they consist of multiple elements bonded together.

Understanding the distinction between elementary and compound substances is crucial in chemistry as it helps in categorizing and studying the properties of different substances more effectively.

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