Final answer:
A compound is a pure substance that consists of two or more elements in a fixed proportion, with properties distinct from the elements that compose it. Examples include water and table salt. Compounds can be chemically separated into simpler substances, unlike mixtures, where components retain their original properties.
Step-by-step explanation:
When discussing compounds, there are key characteristics that define them. Compounds are pure substances with unique and consistent compositions that can be broken down by chemical means. Unlike a mixture, where the substances involved retain their individual properties, a compound has distinct properties that are different from those of the elements that make it up. For instance, when sodium (a soft, shiny metal) combines with chlorine (a pungent green gas), they form sodium chloride (table salt), which is a white, crystalline solid vastly different from either element.
A compound contains two or more elements chemically combined in a fixed proportion. An example of a compound is water (H₂O), consisting of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom bonded together. A compound is not a mixture because it has a fixed composition throughout, and the attributes of its components blend to create entirely new properties.