Final answer:
Elements and compounds are both examples of pure substances. A substance that cannot be broken down into chemically simpler components is an element. A substance that can be broken down into chemically simpler components (because it has more than one element) is a compound.
Step-by-step explanation:
Elements and compounds are both examples of pure substances. A substance that cannot be broken down into chemically simpler components is an element. Aluminum, which is used in soda cans, is an element. A substance that can be broken down into chemically simpler components (because it has more than one element) is a compound. For example, water is a compound composed of the elements hydrogen and oxygen.