Question

Is CO₂ A Compound Or Molecule?

Answer 1

Compound: When two or more elements are chemically combined in a certain ratio of mass, the product obtained is known as a compound. When elements combine, some individual properties of the elements are lost and new properties are acquired in the newly formed compound.

Molecule: A molecule is a group of atoms bound together, representing the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound that can take part in a chemical reaction.

Carbon dioxide(CO₂): Carbon dioxide is a chemical element that can be found in the atmosphere.

• It is found in the gaseous state at room temperature.
• It contains one atom of carbon and two atoms of oxygen.
• 
• CO₂ itself is not an acid, because it does not contain hydrogen ions (H⁺), but when dissolved in water, it becomes carbonic acid.
• Some carbon dioxide dissolves in water to form carbonic acid which acidifies the solution.
• Carbonic acid (H₂CO₃) is a weak, H⁺-splitting acid.
• CO₂ is a molecule as well as a compound. More specifically, CO₂ is considered a molecular compound.
• Compounds that contain atoms of different elements are called molecular compounds.
• CO₂ consists of carbon and oxygen atoms.
• Hence, Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a compound or molecule.