 Welcome to taffy atoms. An atom is like a piece of yellow saltwater taffy. It is the smallest particle of an element that is capable of showing properties of that element. A molecule is like two or more pieces of saltwater taffy chemically joined together. They can be of the same color or of two different colors. A molecule is two or more atoms chemically joined together. There are two different types of molecules. The first one is an element. An element is two or more identical atoms joined together. As when two pieces of yellow saltwater taffy are mixed together, the properties stay the same. The second type of molecule is a compound. A compound is two or more atoms which are different joined together chemically, like joining one piece of yellow saltwater taffy and one piece of blue saltwater taffy. The properties of the atoms lose their original characteristics and create a new substance called a compound. Let's match the term to the picture. An atom, a molecule, an element, and a compound. An atom is the smallest particle of an element. A molecule is two or more atoms chemically joined together. An element is two or more atoms that are the same joined together chemically. A compound is two or more atoms that are different joined together chemically. This concludes this learning activity taffy atoms.