Is calcium carbonate an element or a compound? Explain.

Calcium carbonate is a compound. It is composed of the elements calcium (Ca), carbon (C), and oxygen (O) bonded together in a specific ratio. In the case of calcium carbonate, the chemical formula is CaCO3, indicating that one calcium atom is bonded to one carbon atom and three oxygen atoms. This combination of different elements bonded together forms a compound, rather than a single element.

Calcium carbonate is a compound.

Elements are pure substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means. Compounds, on the other hand, are substances that are made up of two or more elements that are chemically combined.

Calcium carbonate is made up of three different elements: calcium, carbon, and oxygen. The formula for calcium carbonate is CaCO3, which means that each molecule of calcium carbonate contains one atom of calcium, one atom of carbon, and three atoms of oxygen. The atoms in calcium carbonate are held together by chemical bonds, and these bonds cannot be broken without using a chemical reaction.

Therefore, calcium carbonate is a compound because it is made up of two or more elements that are chemically combined.