What is the difference between an atom and an element?

A substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means. An element is composed of atoms that have the same atomic number, that is, each atom has the same number of protons in its nucleus as all other atoms of that element. read more

Atoms are made up of three subatomic particles. Protons and neutrons form the nucleus of an atom, and a cloud of electrons orbits the nucleus. The number of protons in the nucleus, which is generally equal to the number of orbiting electrons, is what distinguishes atoms of one element from atoms of another element. read more

Get ready for an imperfect analogy. Imagine going to an ice cream store. Let's say they have 30 different flavors of ice cream. Those are elements, the things I have available from which to build my dessert. The smallest amount of ice cream the store will sell to me is a scoop. This is an atom. read more

An atom can be considered as the smallest amount of an element. It is the simplest unit of matter, and has a closely packed nucleus in its center. Surrounding the nucleus is a cloud of electrons, which are the negatively-charged particles of an atom. read more