What are compounds?

Compounds are defined as substances that consist of two or more different elements that are chemically bonded together. This bonding typically involves a chemical reaction where the elements combine in a specific ratio to form a new substance with distinct physical and chemical properties. The formation of a compound changes the characteristics of the individual elements, resulting in a substance that behaves differently than its constituent elements.

An example of a compound is water (H2O), which consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom chemically bonded together. Unlike single elements, compounds have a fixed ratio of elements and cannot be separated into their individual elements by physical means, making the understanding of compounds essential in chemistry.