Compounds Made of Two Elements

Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane are all compounds that consist of two elements.
Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane are all compounds that consist of two elements.

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by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
Updated June 04, 2019

A compound is a chemical substance made up of two or more elements. Here is a list of examples of compounds made up of exactly two elements.

  • H2O - water
  • NaCl - sodium chloride or table salt
  • KCl - potassium chloride
  • HCl - hydrochloric acid
  • N2O - nitrous oxide
  • AgI - silver iodide
  • AlN - aluminum nitride
  • B4C - boron carbide
  • CdTe - cadmium telluride
  • CsF - cesium fluoride

Note: A compound that consists of two elements may contain more than two atoms!