What is commonly formed when atoms bond together?

When atoms bond together, they commonly form a molecule. A molecule is a group of two or more atoms bonded together by covalent bonds. This can involve the same type of atoms, such as two oxygen atoms bonding to form O2, or different types of atoms, like the hydrogen and oxygen atoms that combine to form water (H2O).

Molecules represent the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound that retains its chemical properties. They can vary in size from diatomic molecules, which consist of only two atoms, to large macromolecules, such as proteins and nucleic acids.

In contrast, an element refers to a pure substance consisting of only one type of atom and cannot be broken down into a simpler substance. A compound consists of two or more different types of atoms bonded together in fixed proportions, but it typically refers to larger groups containing multiple molecules. An isotope, on the other hand, is a variant of a chemical element that has the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons, affecting the atomic mass rather than the molecular structure itself. Therefore, the process of bonding atoms together directly results in the formation of molecules.