The smallest part of an element is an atom.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Molecule
• D. Ion

Answer: (A)

The fundamental idea is that elements are built from atoms, and an atom is the smallest unit that still carries the identity and properties of that element. Atoms define what the element is and how it behaves in reactions, and you can’t go smaller in a way that retains the element’s character. Molecules are just groups of two or more atoms bonded together, which can belong to elements or compounds. Ions are atoms (or molecules) with a net charge due to gained or lost electrons, but they’re not the basic unit that defines the element itself. So the statement is true because the atom is the smallest unit that represents an element.