A diatomic molecule consists of how many atoms?

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Multiple Choice

A diatomic molecule consists of how many atoms?

Explanation:
A diatomic molecule has two atoms. The prefix di- means two, so by definition a diatomic molecule is formed from two atoms bonded together. That’s why common diatomic molecules like O2 and N2 each consist of exactly two atoms. If there were one atom, it wouldn’t be a molecule composed of two atoms at all; if there were three or four atoms, you’d be dealing with triatomic or tetraatomic molecules, not diatomic. So the number of atoms in a diatomic molecule is two.

A diatomic molecule has two atoms. The prefix di- means two, so by definition a diatomic molecule is formed from two atoms bonded together. That’s why common diatomic molecules like O2 and N2 each consist of exactly two atoms. If there were one atom, it wouldn’t be a molecule composed of two atoms at all; if there were three or four atoms, you’d be dealing with triatomic or tetraatomic molecules, not diatomic. So the number of atoms in a diatomic molecule is two.

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