| Questions | 5 |
| Topics | Atom, Compound, Prefixes, Proton, Species Groups |
An atom is the smallest component of an element that still retains the properties of the element.
A compound is a substance containing two or more different chemical elements bound together by a chemical bond. In covalent compounds, electrons are shared between atoms. In ionic compounds, one atom borrows an electron from another atom resulting in two ions (electrically charged atoms) of opposite polarities that then become bonded electrostatically.
A prefix is added to the base units of the metric system to indicate variations in size. Each prefix specifies a value relative to the base unit in a multiple of 10. Common prefixes are:
| Prefix | Symbol | Relative Value | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| mega | M | 106 (1,000,000) | Mm |
| kilo | k | 103 (1,000) | km |
| base unit | N/A | 1 | m |
| centi | c | 10-2 (1/100) | cm |
| milli | m | 10-3 (1/1,000) | mm |
A proton is a subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom. It carries a positive electric charge.
A population is a group of organisms of the same species who live in the same area at the same time. A community is a group of populations living and interacting with each other in an area.