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removed table salt: it is an ionic compound, not really a molecule. It's bonds are far more ionic than covalent in character.
Most molecules are composed of two or more elements, but they can also be composed of multiple atoms from the same element. Single element, bimolecular molecules which are more commonly known as homonuclear diatomic molecules <ref>http://xbeams.chem.yale.edu/~batista/vvv/node33.html</ref><ref>http://www.chem.purdue.edu/gchelp/gloss/homodiatomic.html</ref> include many elementary [[gas]]es, such as [[oxygen]] (O<sub>2</sub>), [[hydrogen]] (H<sub>2</sub>) and [[fluorine]] (F<sub>2</sub>). Single element compounds also include man-made compounds such as [[buckminsterfullerene]]s, which are "balls" of 60 carbon atoms, as well as natural compounds like [[graphite]], [[diamond]]s, and many [[metal]]s.
Most molecules are composed of two or more elements, but they can also be composed of multiple atoms from the same element. Single element, bimolecular molecules which are more commonly known as homonuclear diatomic molecules <ref>http://xbeams.chem.yale.edu/~batista/vvv/node33.html</ref><ref>http://www.chem.purdue.edu/gchelp/gloss/homodiatomic.html</ref> include many elementary [[gas]]es, such as [[oxygen]] (O<sub>2</sub>), [[hydrogen]] (H<sub>2</sub>) and [[fluorine]] (F<sub>2</sub>). Single element compounds also include man-made compounds such as [[buckminsterfullerene]]s, which are "balls" of 60 carbon atoms, as well as natural compounds like [[graphite]], [[diamond]]s, and many [[metal]]s.
Molecules are typically specified by indicating what atoms they are made of and how many of each they possess. Common [[table salt]], a compound of [[sodium]] and [[chlorine]], is NaCl. If there is more than one of an atom, its count is given by a subscript. Water has two [[hydrogen]] atoms and one [[oxygen]] atom, so it is H<sub>2</sub>O.
Molecules are typically specified by indicating what atoms they are made of and how many of each they possess. If there is more than one of an atom, its count is given by a subscript. Water has two [[hydrogen]] atoms and one [[oxygen]] atom, so it is H<sub>2</sub>O.
Often part of the molecule is listed separately in order to show some of its properties. There are more complex, but still text based, ways of "describing" the molecule's entire structure. We also use three dimensional "ball and stick" or "space filling" diagrams to show the complete physical arrangement of the atoms in the molecule.
Often part of the molecule is listed separately in order to show some of its properties. There are more complex, but still text based, ways of "describing" the molecule's entire structure. We also use three dimensional "ball and stick" or "space filling" diagrams to show the complete physical arrangement of the atoms in the molecule.