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In chemistry, a molecule is the smallest indivisible portion of a pure compound that retains a set of unique chemical and physical properties of that compound. A molecule consists of several atoms bonded together. Not all substances are made of molecules. |
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In chemistry, a molecule is the smallest indivisible portion of a pure compound that retains a set of unique chemical and physical properties of that compound. A molecule consists of two or more atoms bonded together. Not all substances are made of molecules. |
Most molecules are much too small to be seen with the naked eye, but there are exceptions. A grain of salt, or the diamond on an engagement ring, are crystals, repetitive molecules with atomic bonding (usually [ionic bonding]?) connecting the entire structure.
One important property of a molecule is the integer ratio of the elements that constitute the compound. For example, in their pure forms, water is always composed of a 2:1 ratio of hydrogen to oxygen, and ethyl alcohol or ethanol is always composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a 2:6:1 ratio. However, this does not determine the kind of molecule uniquely - dimethyl ether has the same ratio as ethanol, for instance. Molecules with the same atoms in different arrangements are called isomers.
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