Element (Chemistry)

In chemistry, an element is a pure substance made up only of atoms with the same number of protons in each one’s nucleus.

The number of protons in an atom, also known as the atomic number, defines the element.

For example, every single atom in a block of pure carbon has exactly six protons in its nucleus. Every atom in pure oxygen gas has eight, and only eight, protons.

Created by • Last edit by on 18/05/21 02:55 pm

About the Author

Kristi Ellinopoullos
BSc(Hons), U.Syd. - double major in biochemistry and microbiology, with honours in microbiology
PhD, U.Syd - soil microbiology
Stumbled into IT and publishing of all things.
Discovered jujube trees and realised that perhaps I should have been an agronomist...
So I combined all the above passions and interests into this website and its blog and manuals, on which I write about botany, soil chemistry, soil microbiology and biochemistry - and yes, jujubes too!

Please help me buy a plant if you found this article interesting or useful!

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The Goal

From Soil to Fruit — How Does Everything Fit Together? is an ambitious project to help people see the greater picture of how soil (or any growing medium) leads to fruit.

It is an attempt to bring together the very different fields of the soil sciences, soil microbiology, chemistry, botany, plant biochemistry and plant physiology into one giant ‘this is how it works from beginning to end’ guide.

Fair Advanced Warning: The bulk of this work will always be publically available, but some content may be available by subscription only.

Recent photos

Chemical structure of ADP (adenosine diphosphate)

Figure 1: A simple representation of a chloroplast

Figure 2. The arrangement of grana within a chloroplast

Figure 1. Chloroplasts in the cells of the moss Bryum capillare