Question

Why is water a compound but hydrogen an element​

Answer 1

Water is a compound because simply it’s made out of water molecules. It consists of one oxygen atom binding with two hydrogen atoms. There no such thing as a water atom!

Hydrogen is an element because it’s composed of a single proton and single electron. It is the MOST abundant element.

Answer 2

Compounds are made of more than one element hence water is made of 2 Hydrogen and one Oxygen, but nacent Hydrogen is single hence it is an element.