molecule

thumb|Atomic force microscopy (AFM) image of a PTCDA molecule, in which the five six-carbon rings are visible thumb|A scanning tunneling microscopy image of [[pentacene molecules, which consist of linear chains of five carbon rings]] thumb|AFM image of 1,5,9-trioxo-13-azatriangulene and its chemical structure

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A molecule is the smallest unit of a substance that retains its chemical properties, made up of atoms bonded together—as shown in microscope images of molecules like PTCDA (with five carbon rings) and pentacene (with five linked carbon rings). Molecules matter because they are the basic building blocks of all matter around us, determining the properties and behavior of the materials and substances we interact with every day.

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Commons category: Molecules

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Article

17 sections

Contents

Etymology
History
Molecular science
Prevalence
Bonding
Covalent
Ionic
Molecular size
Molecular formulas
Chemical formula types
Structural formula
Molecular geometry
Molecular spectroscopy
Theoretical aspects
See also
References
External links

A molecule is a group of two or more atoms that are held together by attractive forces known as chemical bonds; depending on context, the term may or may not include ions that satisfy this criterion. In quantum physics, organic chemistry, and biochemistry, the distinction from ions is dropped and molecule is often used when referring to polyatomic ions.