Atoms and elements can combine in many ways to form useful compounds. An element is made of identical atoms, while a compound is formed from two or more elements chemically bonded together. Atoms are the simplest form of an element, with protons and neutrons in the nucleus and electrons orbiting around. The number of protons determines the element, while isotopes of an element differ in their number of neutrons. Electrons are usually contained within atoms but can give electric shocks. Atoms combine in fixed ratios to form molecules, with the molecular mass determined by adding the atomic masses. Large numbers of atoms are measured in moles, with one mole equaling 6.02x1023 units. Elements form ions by gaining or losing