Molecules vs Atoms: What’s the Difference?

  1. Atoms are the smallest units of elements, like oxygen or hydrogen.
  2. Molecules form when two or more atoms bond together.
  3. A single oxygen atom is not the same as an O₂ molecule we breathe.
  4. Atoms can exist alone, but molecules are always groups of atoms.
  5. Molecules can be simple, like water (H₂O), or complex, like proteins.
  6. Atoms are like letters, while molecules are like words built from those letters.
  7. Molecules hold unique properties that atoms alone don’t display.
  8. Chemical reactions rearrange atoms into new molecules.
  9. The diversity of life comes from countless ways atoms can join as molecules.
  10. Atoms are the foundation, but molecules are the structures that shape our world.