What term is used to describe atoms that are chemically combined?

The term used to describe atoms that are chemically combined is "compounds." Compounds are substances formed when two or more different types of atoms bond together through chemical reactions, resulting in a material with distinct properties that differ from those of the individual elements.

Molecules refer specifically to groups of two or more atoms bonded together, which can be of the same element or different elements. For example, a molecule of water (H2O) is considered a compound because it contains different elements (hydrogen and oxygen) that are chemically bonded.

Elements are pure substances consisting of only one type of atom, and they cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means. Atoms represent the smallest units of matter that retain the properties of an element.

In summary, while molecules refer to groups of atoms and can include combinations of different elements, the more precise term for chemically combined atoms that form new substances is compounds.