Atoms combine to form molecules, the second step on the way to matter. Molecules are made of two or more atoms and are held together by chemical bonds, which are determined by the electrons on their outermost shells. Carbon is an example of an atom which forms molecules and is essential for the formation of matter, as it forms strong and weak bonds with other atoms. Different combinations of molecules give rise to the diversity of matter we see around us.

Ionic, covalent and metallic bonds are the three main types of bonds that form between atoms. Summarizing, atoms, molecules, and carbon are essential components of life, and scientists have discovered that carbon has the ability to form up to 1.7 million compounds. Atoms are the building blocks of life, and scientists have studied how they bond together. Some atoms swap electrons, while others share their electrons to form covalent bonds. Examples of covalent bonds include the H2 molecule, where two hydrogen atoms share each other's single electron. Metallic bonds occur when a large number of atoms come together by sharing electrons, forming metals like iron, copper, zinc, and aluminium.

Carbon is the most significant element for living beings, as it is able to form 1.7 million compounds, forming structures like cell membranes, horns, trunks, lenses, and venom. Carbon is unique in its ability to form chains with many links, as well as branched or polygonal shapes. This versatility is critical for life, and compounds of carbon range from a few atoms to millions. Hydrogen and oxygen atoms, the main components of water, are very light and non-polar. This means that they have no affinity for each other and do not easily combine to form molecules. Atoms are the building blocks of all matter, and molecules are formed when atoms bond together.

Carbon is an unusual element, forming over a quarter of a million compounds, including hydrocarbons which form the basis of the petrochemical industry and are found in natural gas, paints and fire extinguishers. Carbon is also a vital element for life on Earth, forming proteins with its unique ability to form strong and weak bonds between atoms and molecules. These bonds are essential for the formation of the complex three-dimensional shapes of proteins, which form the basis of all living things. Therefore, without the presence of carbon and its unusual properties, it is unlikely that there would be life on Earth.

The summary of this podcast is that atoms, oxygen, and life are all connected and all dependent on Allah. Oxygen molecules are formed from atoms that are held together by Allah's permission. Taste and smell are created by molecular interactions that happen in our sense organs.

Without taste and smell, life and the world would be dull and ordinary. Thanks to Allah, we have been given these blessings in return for nothing and should strive to be pleasing to Allah for an eternal life filled with blessings.

NOTES

27. L. Vlasov, D. Trifonov, 107 Stories About Chemistry, 1977, p. 117
28. L. Vlasov, D. Trifonov, 107 Stories About Chemistry, 1977, p. 118
29. David Burnie, Life, Eyewitness Science, London: Dorling Kindersley, 1996, p.8
30. Nevil V. Sidgwick, The Chemical Elements and Their Compounds, vol.1, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1950, p.490
37. Taşkın Tuna, Uzayın Ötesi (Beyond Space), Boğaziçi Yayınları, 1995, p. 166