Guess I'll be flippin' burgers for the rest of my life guys... I can't figure out the difference between elements and atoms! I've searched the internet and wrote down their definitions and I e-mailed my prof. Here is how he explained it: > Atoms are the fundamental building blocks of matter and differ from > each other in the number of protons (different elments) and numbers of > neutrons (isotopes of an element). The term atoms is used to discuss > how many atoms of an element we have, or to talk about particles of > matter in general without discussing the identity of the atoms > (elements). The term element is used to differentiate between atoms, > ie, the compound contains 3 different elements. Maybe 'element' is just a general term for all atoms with the same # of protons. I'm looking for a GOOD definition here. Why could we not just call every symbol on the periodic table an atom with a different atomic #?