Science
What is a Chemical Compound?
A chemical compound is a substance made of two or more different elements chemically bonded together in a fixed ratio — like water (H₂O) or table salt (NaCl). A compound has its own properties, often completely different from the elements that form it.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains a chemical compound.
Key things to understand
- 1A compound contains at least two different elements bonded in a fixed ratio.
- 2Its properties differ from its elements — sodium (a reactive metal) and chlorine (a toxic gas) form harmless table salt.
- 3Compounds can only be separated into their elements by chemical reactions, not physical methods.
- 4Water (H₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and table salt (NaCl) are everyday compounds.
- 5A compound is different from a mixture, where substances are combined but not chemically bonded.
Frequently asked questions
- What's the difference between a compound and a mixture?
- In a compound, elements are chemically bonded in a fixed ratio and form a new substance. In a mixture, substances are just physically combined, keep their own properties, and can be separated physically.
- What's the difference between a compound and a molecule?
- A molecule is two or more atoms bonded together; a compound is a molecule made of at least two different elements. So O₂ is a molecule but not a compound, while H₂O is both.
- Can a compound be broken back into elements?
- Yes, but only through a chemical reaction — for example, passing electricity through water splits it back into hydrogen and oxygen.