Atomic Structure Flashcards
What is the smallest unit of an element?
Atom
True or False: Atoms can be created or destroyed in chemical reactions.
False
What are the three main subatomic particles?
Protons, neutrons, and electrons
What is the charge of a proton?
Positive
What is the charge of an electron?
Negative
What is the charge of a neutron?
Neutral
Fill in the blank: The nucleus of an atom contains ______ and ______.
protons and neutrons
What is the relative mass of a proton?
1
What is the relative mass of a neutron?
1
What is the relative mass of an electron?
Approximately 1/1836
What determines the atomic number of an element?
The number of protons in the nucleus
What is an isotope?
Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons
True or False: Isotopes have different chemical properties.
False
What does the mass number represent?
The total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus
How is the atomic symbol for an element typically represented?
With one or two letters, the first letter capitalized
What is meant by the term ‘electron configuration’?
The distribution of electrons in an atom’s energy levels
Fill in the blank: The outermost electrons are referred to as ______ electrons.
valence
What is the maximum number of electrons that can occupy the first energy level?
2
What is the maximum number of electrons that can occupy the second energy level?
8
What type of bond is formed when atoms share electrons?
Covalent bond
What is the name of the model that describes the atom as having a nucleus surrounded by electrons?
The Bohr model
True or False: Electrons move in fixed orbits around the nucleus.
True
What is the term for the energy required to remove an electron from an atom?
Ionization energy
Fill in the blank: Atoms are mostly ______.
empty space
What does the term ‘atomic mass’ refer to?
The weighted average mass of an element’s isotopes
Which particle has the least mass?
Electron
What is the significance of the periodic table’s arrangement?
Elements are arranged by increasing atomic number and similar properties
What are groups in the periodic table?
Columns that contain elements with similar chemical properties
What are periods in the periodic table?
Rows that represent energy levels of the elements
What is the main difference between a cation and an anion?
Cations are positively charged, while anions are negatively charged.
True or False: All atoms of an element are identical.
False
What is the term for the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy?
Radioactive decay
What is the role of the strong nuclear force?
To hold protons and neutrons together in the nucleus
Fill in the blank: The ______ model of the atom describes electrons as being in ‘clouds’ of probability.
quantum
