Final answer:
Carbon and oxygen combine to produce a compound called carbon dioxide (CO₂), a new substance with fixed proportions of elements chemically bonded together.
Step-by-step explanation:
When carbon and oxygen are combined through a chemical process, they produce a compound. In the context of the periodic table and chemical reactions, when different elements such as carbon (C) and oxygen (O) come together in a fixed proportion, the result is a compound. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is an example of such a compound, consisting of one carbon atom chemically bonded to two oxygen atoms. This chemical combination of different elements forms a new substance with properties distinct from those of the individual elements involved.
A compound is different from an element, which is a pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means. Since compounds like carbon dioxide can be broken down into simpler substances (carbon and oxygen), they do not qualify as elements. Compounds also differ from mixtures, which do not have a fixed composition and can be separated into their components by physical methods.