What are compounds and why do they form?This is a question out of my Earth Science book.?
Compounds are any 2 or more atoms joined together. They can be 2 atoms of the same element such as the oxygen you (me too) breathe, or more such as ozone which is a molecule made up of 3 oxygen atoms, which we do not breathe. Or then can be mixes of 2 or more different atoms. Most atoms have a positive or negative charge when they are isolated. The charge has to be neutralized by taking electrons from or giving electrons to neighboring atoms. Water has 1 atom of oxygen which has negative charge of 2. Hydrogen has a positive charge of 1, so it takes 2 hydrogen atoms to balance an oxygen and the net charge is zero. COmpounds like oxygen, 2 atoms of negative 2 are possible because the atoms share the electrons they have, making up the lack each has. This lack of electrons helps explain why oxygen is so quick to react with so many things, why things rust so quickly. The atoms seek more stable combinations. WHat controls the compounds formed is the amount of energy available when the compou
