Welcome to the Basics of Chemistry!

Understanding Atoms

The atom is the basic unit of chemistry. It consists of a dense nucleus surrounded by a cloud of electrons. The nucleus contains protons and neutrons, and it's represented as X_Z^A, where X is the element symbol, Z is the atomic number, and A is the mass number.

Atoms can combine to form molecules through ionic, covalent, and metallic bonding, giving rise to the vast variety of substances we see around us.

Chemical Reactions

Chemical reactions involve the rearrangement of atoms to form new substances. They are represented using chemical equations, like the combustion of hydrogen:

2 H₂ + O₂ → 2 H₂O

Chemical reactions can be classified into types such as synthesis, decomposition, single replacement, and double replacement reactions.