Analysis of the Earth and Environment Lecture 1: Basic Chemistry Flashcards
Who first theorised the Atom?
A group called the atomists in ancient greece.
What are atoms?
Atoms are tiny particles that make up all matter in the universe, they are the building blocks of nature and can neither be created nor destroyed.
Anything in the universe can be continuously divided until you have a single atom.
What was discovered in 1897 and by who?
The electron
JJ Thompson
Explain the mass number of an atom
The mass number of the element/atom refers to the amount of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of the atom (electrons don’t have any relevant weight therefore aren’t involved).
What does the atomic number mean?
The atomic number of the atom refers to the amount of protons present in the nucleus.
Additionally, generally the electron number is the same as the proton/atomic number (Unless it is an ion).
