Atomic structure and the periodic table Flashcards
What are all substances made from?
Atoms
What is an atom?
The smallest part of an element that can exist.
What is the basic structure of the atom?
A central nucleus surrounded by electrons which orbit around the nucleus in rings called shells.
What is the nucleus of an atom made up of ?
Two different types of particles: protons and neutrons. These are packed together in tight ball.
Which two sub-atomic particles have the same mass?
Protons and neutrons. They both have a relative mass of one.
What is the relative mass of the electron?
Around 2000 times smaller than protons and neutrons (very small/0)
What is the charge of protons?
+1
What is the charge of neutrons?
Neutral/0
What is the charge of electrons?`
-1
What does the atomic number of a nuclear symbol represent?
How many protons are in the element.
It can also tell you how many electrons an atom has as an atom will have the same number of protons and electrons.
What determines what element an atom is?
The number of protons in the atom.
What does the mass number of a nuclear symbol represent?
The total number of neutrons and protons in the atom.
How do we find out how many neutrons an atom has?
The mass number of the atom minus the atomic number of the atom.
What is the approximate radius of an atom?
0.1 nanometres (1 x 10^-10 metres)
What is a nanometre (nm)?
One billionth of a metre; 1 x 10^-9