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What is the smallest particle of an element that retains the chemical identity of that element?

In: Chemistry, Elements and Compounds, Atoms and Atomic Structure

Answer:

An atom is the smallest particle of an element that retains the chemical properties (identity) of that element.

*While all atoms of an element are the same in their number of protons, all elements have "isotopes" -- atoms with the same number of protons, therefore similar chemical reactions, but different numbers of neutrons.

For example, hydrogen comes in three forms, Hydrogen 1 (1 proton and 0 neutrons), Hydrogen 2 or Deuterium (1 proton and 1 neutron) and Hydrogen 3 or Tritium (1 proton and 2 neutrons).

Xenon and Caesium have 36 isotopes each, the most of any known element.

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