Yes it is possible to distiguish between an element and a compound. An element is any one of the over 100 things you can see on the periodic table. like say .F or H. Those are element. Another example C or O. when you put CO together you would get Carbon monoxide and that would be an element. Just know that if you see one of the symbols just as how they would look on the periodic table then it is not a compound. It has to be with another element
