Question

Differentiate between monoatomic molecules and diatomic molecules.

Answer 1

Atomicity:

• Atomicity is defined as the total number of atoms present in a molecule of an element.
• The molecules of elements can be monoatomic, diatomic, triatomic, and so on, depending on the number of atoms in each molecule of the element.

Monoatomic:

• The elements that have only one atom in a molecule are called monoatomic.
• They are stable. For example, $\mathrm{Neon}\left(\mathrm{Ne}\right),\mathrm{and}\mathrm{Argon}\left(\mathrm{Ar}\right).$

Diatomic:

• The elements that have two atoms in each molecule are called diatomic.
• For example, $\mathrm{Oxygen}\left({\mathrm{O}}_2\right),\mathrm{and}\mathrm{Nitrogen}\left({\mathrm{N}}_2\right).$