The statement that best describes the substances N₂ and NO₂ is: Both are molecules. NO₂ is also a compound.
- N₂ (nitrogen gas) is a molecule made up of two nitrogen atoms. It is an element because it consists only of nitrogen.
- NO₂ (nitrogen dioxide) is also a molecule, but it is a compound because it is made up of two different elements: nitrogen and oxygen.
Therefore, while both are molecules, only NO₂ is a compound, as it contains multiple types of atoms.