Introduction

• Atoms are the fundamental building blocks of matter.

• Depending on the type of element or compound they form part of, atoms may exist individually, in molecules, or in a lattice structure.

• The infinite number of possible combinations of different types of atoms accounts for the enormous number of compounds that exist.

Although there are only 118 different types of atoms, there are countless compounds that exist.

(Image: Cygaretka, Wikimedia Commons)