2. Atomic Structure Flashcards
Where is the mass of an atom concentrated?
The mass of an atom is concentrated in the nucleus
Why is the mass of an atom concentrated in the —?
because the nucleus contains the heaviest subatomic particles (the neutrons and protons)
Why is the mass of an electron not counted?
The mass of the electron is negligible
What is the nucleus’ charge and why?
The nucleus is also positively charged due to the protons
how do electrons contribute to the structure of an atom?
Electrons orbit the nucleus of the atom, contributing very little to its overall mass, but creating a ‘cloud’ of negative charge
What holds an atom together?
The electrostatic attraction between the positive nucleus and negatively charged electrons orbiting around it is what holds an atom together
What are the subatomic particles? 3 examples
The protons, neutrons and electrons that an atom is made up of are called subatomic particles
Why can we not measure subatomic particles’ masses “normally”?
These subatomic particles are so small that it is not practical to measure their masses and charges using conventional units (such as grams)
How are subatomic particles measured?
Instead, their masses and charges are compared to each other, and so are called ‘relative atomic masses’ and ‘relative atomic charges’
What are the relative atomic mass/charge?
These are not actual charges and masses, but rather charges and masses of particles relative to each other
What mass are protons and neutrons assigned and why?
Protons and neutrons have a very similar mass, so each is assigned a relative mass of 1
What is the mass of an electron and why?
Electrons are 1836 times smaller than a proton and neutron, and so their mass is often described as being negligible
What is the relative charge of a(n):
- proton
- neutron
- electron
- +1
- 0
- -1
What is the atomic number?
he atomic number (or proton number) is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom and has the symbol Z
What is the atomic number equal to? What specific case is this only applicable to?
The atomic number is also equal to the number of electrons that are present in a neutral atom of an element
What is the mass number?
The mass number (or nucleon number) is the total number of protons + neutrons in the nucleus of an atom, and has the symbol A
How can we calculate the number of neutrons?
Number of neutrons = mass number – atomic number
What are protons and neutrons also called and why?
Protons and neutrons are also called nucleons, because they are found in the nucleus
What are isotopes?
Isotopes are atoms of the same element that contain the same number of protons and electrons but a different number of neutrons
How do we represent isotopes?
The way to represent an isotope is to write the chemical symbol (or the word) followed by a dash and then the mass number
e.g carbon-12
What type of charge does an atom have?
An atom is neutral and has no overall charge
What charge do ions have and why?
Ions on the other hand have either gained or lost electrons causing them to become charged
How is the mass of an element given regarding all of its isotopes?
Because of this, the mass of an element is given as relative atomic mass (Ar) by using the average mass of all of the isotopes
How can the relative atomic mass of an element be calculated?
The relative atomic mass of an element can be calculated by using the percentage abundance values