Here's why:
* Atoms are the fundamental building blocks of matter. They are the smallest units of an element that retain the chemical properties of that element.
* Compounds are formed when two or more different types of atoms bond together. For example, water (H₂O) is a compound formed from two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.
While smaller particles exist within atoms (like protons, neutrons, and electrons), these particles do not have the same chemical properties as the element itself.
