Question

How many individual atoms can a substance contain to be considered an element?

Answer 1

To be considered an element, a substance must contain only one type of atom. There are currently 118 known elements.

Step-by-step explanation:

The number of individual atoms that a substance must contain in order to be considered an element is one.

An element is defined as a pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler chemical substances. It is composed of only one type of atom. For example, oxygen gas (O2) is a molecule composed of two oxygen atoms, so it is not considered an element. However, individual atoms of oxygen (O) are considered an element.

There are currently 118 known elements, each with its own unique atom.

Answer 2

An element consists of only one type of atom. Therefore, a substance is considered an element if it contains only atoms of the same type. It doesn't matter how many atoms there are; as long as they are all of the same element, it is considered an element. Even a single atom of an element qualifies it as an element.