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Oxygen forms molecules made of two atoms, O2

. Carbon and oxygen form molecules made of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms, CO2
. Which of the statements below is true?
A.
Both O2
and CO2
are compounds.
B.
Both O2
and CO2
are molecules.
C.
O2
is a compound while CO2
is a molecule.
D.
O2
is a molecule while CO2
is a compound.

1 answer

The correct statement is:

D. O2 is a molecule while CO2 is a compound.

Explanation:

  • O2 is a diatomic molecule consisting of two oxygen atoms. It is not considered a compound because it is made up of only one type of element (oxygen).
  • CO2 is a compound made of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms, consisting of different elements.

So, O2 qualifies as a molecule, while CO2 is a compound.