Which of the following is true about an individual atom? Explain. a. An individual atom should be considered to be a solid. b. An individual atom should be considered to be a liquid. c. An individual atom should be considered to be a gas. d. The state of the atom depends on which element it is. e. An individual atom cannot be considered to be a solid, liquid, or gas.

The three common states of matter are solid, liquid, and gas. In a solid, particles are tightly packed, and they vibrate but do not move away from their fixed positions. In a liquid state, particles move freely, and the substance can take the shape of its container. In a gaseous state, particles move even more freely and can expand indefinitely to fill the available volume.

Now, let's evaluate each statement: a. An individual atom should be considered to be a solid. This statement is incorrect. An individual atom cannot be classified as a solid because it cannot exist as a tightly packed structure by itself. b. An individual atom should be considered to be a liquid. This statement is also incorrect for the same reason. An individual atom cannot be classified as a liquid because it does not flow or take the shape of a container by itself. c. An individual atom should be considered to be a gas. This statement is not accurate either. An individual atom cannot be considered a gas because it does not expand indefinitely or exhibit gaseous behavior on its own. d. The state of the atom depends on which element it is. Although different elements have different properties, an individual atom cannot be classified as any state of matter because it doesn't exhibit the characteristics of a solid, liquid, or gas on its own. e. An individual atom cannot be considered to be a solid, liquid, or gas. This statement is correct. An individual atom does not exhibit the properties and behaviors that define the states of matter, as those properties arise from the interactions between multiple atoms or molecules. Conclusion:

After analyzing the statements, we conclude that statement e is correct: An individual atom cannot be considered to be a solid, liquid, or gas.