elements

Simple substances which cannot be decomposed by chemical means. They are made up of atoms which are alike in their peripheral electronic configurations, their chemical properties, and in the number of protons in their nuclei. They may differ in the number of neutrons in their nuclei.

(12 Dec 1998)


Terms mentioned in text: simple, substances, decomposed, chemical, means, atoms, peripheral, electronic, configurations, properties, number, protons, nuclei, differ, neutrons
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