A: Chemistry = Chemical Changes 1.1 The Structure of Matter Flashcards
What gives materials like aluminium, plastic, and rock salt their unique properties?
The elements making up these substances
Understanding the structure of the atom is essential to answer this.
What are the three major particles that make up an atom?
Protons, neutrons, and electrons
Define a proton.
A positively charged particle located in the nucleus of an atom
Define a neutron.
A neutral particle located in the nucleus of an atom
Define an element.
A pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means
What is an atom?
The smallest part of an element that has all the properties of that element
Fill in the blank: An atom consists of a nucleus containing ______ and ______.
Protons and neutrons
True or False: The electron cloud surrounds the nucleus of an atom.
True
What is the atomic number?
The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom
What is the atomic mass?
The average mass of the atoms of an element including all isotopes
What is the mass number?
The total number of protons and neutrons in an atom
How do you determine the average number of neutrons in an atom?
Subtract the number of protons (atomic number) from the atomic mass and round to the nearest whole number
What is the relationship between protons, neutrons, and the mass number?
The sum of the number of neutrons and protons is called mass number
What is a hydrogen atom’s atomic number?
1
What is a carbon atom’s atomic number?
6
True or False: Protons and neutrons occupy volume in an atom.
False
Where are protons and neutrons located in an atom?
In the nucleus
What occupies the larger region surrounding the nucleus of an atom?
Electrons
Fill in the blank: The space outside the nucleus is often described as ‘an ________ cloud.’
electron
What makes the atom of one element differ from the atoms of all other elements?
The number of protons
What is the significance of the mass number?
It is always a whole number
What is the average number of neutrons in the most common form of an atom?
The difference between the atomic number and the mass number
True or False: Electrons have more mass than protons and neutrons.
False
What particles make up most of the atom’s mass?
Protons and neutrons
What explains why one atom will bond with another?
The electrical characteristics of protons and electrons.
What happens when two atoms approach one another?
They may initially repel due to interactions between negatively charged outer electrons.
What exerts greater attractive forces on electrons in the vicinity of an atom?
The large concentration of positive charge in each nucleus.
Why are fast-moving electrons bound to the nucleus?
Because oppositely charged objects are attracted to each other.
In a neutral atom, what is equal?
The number of protons and electrons.
What are protons and neutrons made up of?
Even smaller particles called quarks.
What determines how an atom bonds with other atoms?
The protons, neutrons, and electrons that make up each atom.
What do the particles of an atom determine?
The physical and chemical properties of each substance.
What questions should you ask to understand the properties of a material?
• What is the structure of the atoms within that substance?
• How are the protons, neutrons, and electrons interacting within that substance?
What insights can you gain from understanding the properties of atoms in a substance?
Information about the unique properties of a substance and how the atoms within it interact.
What is the name of the diagram commonly used to represent atoms?
Bohr diagram
Named after the scientist Niels Bohr.
Who developed the idea of energy levels in atoms?
Niels Bohr
Niels Bohr is a physicist known for his contributions to understanding atomic structure.
What determines the number of electrons that can occupy an energy level?
The energy level itself
Only a certain number of electrons can occupy each specific energy level.
Where do electrons with the lowest energy reside in relation to the nucleus?
In the energy levels closest to the nucleus
Electrons in these levels are at a lower energy state.