Chemical element
A chemical element is a substance that consists of only one type of atom, that is, all the atoms in the element contain the same number of protons. There are 118 known elements (an often used shortened form) which are considered to be the building blocks of matter. These are recorded and ordered in the periodic table.
The word comes from the Latin 'elementum', which means one of the four elements, because at that time it was thought that all creation was made up of earth, air, fire, and water.
The word element in construction terms can be understood to refer to a building element, the individual components of a building (as opposed to and at a different level to matter). In combination with other words it also takes on further meanings but still refers to a single part.
For more information see: Building elements.
The identity of a chemical element cannot be changed by any chemical reaction. However, a nuclear reaction can transmute one element into another one and new elements may yet be synthesised.
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