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An atom is a fundamental unit of matter and the smallest component of an element. It consists of a nucleus, which contains protons and neutrons, and electrons that orbit the nucleus. An element, on the other hand, is a substance that is made up of atoms of only one type. For example, all atoms with 1 proton are hydrogen atoms, and all atoms with 6 protons are carbon atoms. While all atoms of an element are identical, different elements have different properties due to the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons they contain.