No, sugar is not an element.
Sugar is a compound, meaning it's formed from the chemical combination of two or more elements. Specifically, sugar is made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, which are chemically bonded together. The reference states that sugar is created when these three atoms chemically join, thus creating a compound.
Here's a quick table outlining the differences:
| Feature | Element | Compound |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A pure substance made of one atom type | A substance made of two or more elements chemically combined |
| Simplest Form | Cannot be broken down further chemically | Can be broken down into simpler substances |
| Example | Oxygen (O), Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H) | Water (H2O), Sugar (C12H22O11) |
Therefore, since sugar is not a pure substance composed of a single atom type, it is not an element. Instead, it is a compound formed by the combination of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
