Atoms, which consist of protons, neutrons, and electrons, are the smallest units of an element that retain all of the properties of that element. Electrons can be donated or shared between atoms to create bonds, including ionic, covalent, and hydrogen bonds, as well as van der Waals interactions

It is polar, allowing for the formation of hydrogen bonds, which allow ions and other polar molecules to dissolve in water. It is made up of atoms of different elements.

electron — a negatively charged particle that resides outside of the nucleus in the electron orbital; lacks functional mass and has a charge of -1. element — one of 118 unique substances that cannot be broken down into smaller substances and retain the characteristic of that substance; each element has a specified number of protons…. van der Waals interaction — a weak attraction or interaction between molecules caused by slightly positively charged or slightly negatively charged atoms. hydrogen bond — a weak bond between partially positively charged hydrogen atoms and partially negatively charged elements or molecules.