AoS 1 Flashcards
what is an element?
an element is a substance that is made up of only one type of atom, can’t be broken down into simpler substances.
what does the atomic number and mass number of an atom tell us?
atomic number - number of electrons
mass number - the sum of the number of protons and neutrons
what is the octet rule?
the tendency of atoms to want to have 8 electrons in their outer (valence) shell.
what is an isotope?
an isotope is an element that has the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons, altering it’s mass. Eg, helium - 4
what is metallic bonding?
The electrostatic attraction between metal cations and the sea of delocalised electrons.
properties of metals
lustrous, malleable, ductile, can conduct electricity and heat, and most have a high melting and boiling point
malleability explanation
metals are malleable because force can be applied and they can be bent into shapes because the sea of electrons moves with the cations, maintaining the strong bond.
ductility explanation
metals can be drawn into wires without breaking because they are malleable and can be pulled into a single layer of cations.
electrical conductivity explanation
electricity in metals is the flow of electrons, because the sea of electrons can move freely across the lattice, they can carry a charge across it.
heat conductivity explanation
the metal absorbs heat and the rise in temperature causes an increase of kinetic energy of the cations and delocalised electrons. they begin to vibrate, and the vibrations transfer the energy to the nearby cations and the heat is carried across the metal. this is a chain reaction.
high melting/boiling point (most)
most metals have a high melting and boiling point because the bond between the cations and delocalised electrons is very strong, so a lot of heat energy is required to break the bond.
lustrous explanation
metals are lustrous because the sea of delocalised electrons reflect light.
ionic bonding
when metal atoms donate their valence electrons to non-metal atoms, forming cations and anions. The positive cations and negative anions are attracted to each other forming an electrostatic bond.
properties of ionic compounds
form an ionic crystal lattice, conduct electricity in molten and aquaeous solutions, brittle, hard, high melting and boiling point.
conduct electricity in an aquaeous/molten solution explanation
in a solution or in a molten state, the cations and anions are able to freely move so they are able to carry a charge. as a solid, the ions are stuck in the lattice and cannot move, so they cannot carry a charge.