TEKS 6.5A know that an element is a pure substance represented by chemical symbols.
Elements and Compounds
Materials:
 cards in this document
(you may laminate and
cut out in advance)
 scissors
Objective:
Classify substances as elements or compounds.
Teacher Directions:
Laminate and cut out the cards in advance or have students cut out their own set.
Element
Compound
Element
Compound
pure substance
more than one element combined
in a set ratio
carbon
sodium chloride (NaCl)
shown by 1 or 2 letters
called symbols
carbon dioxide (CO2)
magnesium
sulfate
aluminum
gold
nitrogen
dioxide
Cl
glucose (C6H12O6)
made of only one atom
of a substance
nitrogen
may be broken down
during a chemical raction
copper (Cu)
cannot be broken down
made of two or more
different elements
helium (He)
TEKS 6.5A know that an element is a pure substance represented by chemical symbols.
Elements and Compounds
Objective:
Classify substances as elements or compounds.
Directions:
 Fold a piece of paper in half. Label one half “element” and the other half “compound”.

Cut out the cards. Classify the cards on your paper as elements or compounds.

Once you have classified the cards, fill in the table below. Then Answer the questions.
Element
Compound
Element
Compound
F:
Read the following information on elements, compounds and mixtures. Fill in the blanks where necessary.
Elements:
 A pure substance containing only one kind of ____________.
 An element is always uniform all the way through (homogeneous).
 An element _____________ be separated into simpler materials (except during nuclear reactions).
 Over 100 existing elements are listed and classified on the ____________________.
Compounds:
 A pure substance containing two or more kinds of _______________.
 The atoms are _________________ combined in some way. Often times (but not always) they come together to
form groups of atoms called molecules.
 A compound is always homogeneous (uniform).
 Compounds ___________________ be separated by physical means. Separating a compound requires a chemical
reaction.
 The properties of a compound are usually different than the properties of the elements it contains.
Mixtures:
 Two or more ________________ or _________________ NOT chemically combined.
 No reaction between substances.
 Mixtures can be uniform (called ________________________) and are known as solutions.
 Mixtures can also be non-uniform (called ________________________).
 Mixtures can be separated into their components by chemical or physical means.
 The properties of a mixture are similar to the properties of its components.
gold
magnesium sulfate
helium (He)
carbon dioxide
(CO2)
copper (Cu)
sodium chloride
(NaCl)
glucose
(C6H12O6)
Cl
nitrogen
may be broken
down during a
chemical
reaction
pure substance
made of only
one atom of a
substance
more than one
element
combined in a
set ratio
cannot be
broken down
made of two or shown by 1 or 2
more different
letters called
elements
symbols
carbon