Which Elements Exist as Diatomic Molecules?

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Diatomic molecules consist of elements that naturally pair up, including hydrogen (H2), nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2), and the halogens such as fluorine (F2), chlorine (Cl2), bromine (Br2), and iodine (I2). In contrast, noble gases like xenon (Xe) exist as monatomic entities. Other elements, such as phosphorus (P4), arsenic (As4), and sulfur (S8), form polyatomic molecules, which raises questions about when to represent them as individual atoms versus their molecular forms in chemical equations. The discussion highlights the importance of understanding these distinctions for accurate chemical representation. Overall, recognizing which elements exist as diatomic or polyatomic molecules is crucial for proper chemical notation.
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Which elements "travel in pairs"?

This isn't exactly "homework help", just something that's been on my mind for a while. I know that when writing chlorine, oxygen and hydrogen by itself, you need to add a two. Why is this so? And also, what other elements "travel in pairs"?
 
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the halogen and the inert gases "travel in pairs." bromine, iodine...Xe...
 
Aha...answer found here. This thread can be closed :)
 
Consider also:

phosphorous- P4
arsenic- As4
sulfur- S8 and others
 
Inert (noble) gases are monatomic.

H, N, O, and halogens F, Cl, Br, I, At form pairs, or diatomic molecules.

Cesium gave forms in which molecules have quadruples or octuples.
 
Question related to this...

Halogen and such gases exists in diatomic - we write Cl2, I2 etc.
But sulphur exist in S8, why we write S in our equations?
then when do we write as element (in S) and when we write in molecule as in Cl2?

thanks
 

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