GED Science Practice

Which of the following is the simplest structural unit of an element or compound, in physics and chemistry?

1. Natural immunity

2. Nerve

3. Molecule

4. Nearsightedness

The correct answer is: Molecule

The simplest structural unit of an element or compound, in the context of physics and chemistry, is a molecule. Molecules are composed of two or more atoms that are chemically bonded together. They can consist of the same type of atom, such as in oxygen (O2), or different types of atoms, like in water (H2O). Molecules serve as the basic building blocks for all chemical substances, distinguishing both elements and compounds based on their atomic composition and bonding. The other options provided—natural immunity, nerve, and nearsightedness—refer to biological processes or conditions rather than structural units in chemistry. Natural immunity involves the body's defense against pathogens, nerves are part of the nervous system responsible for transmitting signals, and nearsightedness is a condition related to vision. Therefore, none of these options represent the basic unit of chemical substances like a molecule does.