A molecule is a group of atoms that are covalently bonded together to form a new substance. The atoms may be of the same element as in N2, or they may be different elements as in H2O. If the molecule is composed of two or more elements (as in H2O) it can be further classified as a compound.
Another set of terms used to describe the composition of molecules is homonuclear and heteronuclear. The Greek prefix homo- means the same. The prefix hetero- means different. Therefore, molecules that are composed of only one type of element are homonuclear, while molecules with two or more different elements are heteronuclear. |
