Atomic Structure: Basics

Question 1

What are the 3 basic subatomic particles?

Answer 1

Protons, neutrons and electrons

Question 2

What is the charge, mass and location of a proton?

Answer 2

+1; 1 amu; within the nucleus

Question 3

What is the charge, mass and location of a neutron?

Answer 3

0; 1 amu; within the nucleus

Question 4

What is the charge, mass and location of an electron?

Answer 4

-1; approximately 0 or 1/1837 amu;in energy levels/orbitals outside the nucleus

Question 5

How many electrons can fill the 1st energy level?

Answer 5

2

Question 6

How many electrons can fill the 2nd energy level?

Answer 6

8

Question 7

How many electrons can fill the 3rd energy level?

Answer 7

18

Question 8

How many electrons can fill the 4th energy level?

Answer 8

32

Question 9

How are cations formed?

Answer 9

by losing valence electrons

Question 10

How are anions formed?

Answer 10

by gaining valence electrons

Question 11

What are cations? What type of element typically forms cations?

Answer 11

• cations are + ions

- metals typically form cations

Question 12

What are anions? What type of element typically forms anions?

Answer 12

• anions are - ions

- nommetals typically form anions

Question 13

Why did Rutherford say that most of the atom was empty space?

Answer 13

most of the positive alpha particles passed straight through the atom and were not deflected.

Question 14

Why did Rutherford say that the atom had a very dense positive nucleus?

Answer 14

It was only very occasional that the positive alpha particles hit something else that was also positive (nucleus)

Question 15

What is meant by the term kernel?

Answer 15

kernel refers to all the nucleons (protons and neutrons) in the nucleus and to the inner e-s. ( everything in the atom except the valence e-s)

Question 16

When does an e- reach an excited state?

Answer 16

when it absorbs energy (heat or electricity) and jumps to a higher energy level.

Question 17

When is a bright line spectrum formed?

Answer 17

when excited e- releases energy as it returns to the ground state, specific colors of light can be seen.

Question 18

is 2e- — 6e—– 2e- an excited state or ground state configuration? What element is it?

Answer 18

excited; Neon

Question 19

What is the symbol and charge of the element with the following: 13 p, 14 n and 10 e-?

Answer 19

Al +3

Question 20

What is the symbol and charge of the element with the following: 35 p, 45 n and 36e-?

Answer 20

Br -1

Question 21

What is a Lewis dot diagram?

Answer 21

a notation that shows the symbol of the atom with dots to represent the number of valence e-

Question 22

what are isotopes?

Answer 22

atoms of the same element that vary in number of neutrons and thus have different atomic masses

Question 23

what are nucleons?

Answer 23

the protons and neutrons of an atom are referred to collectively as the nucleons

Question 24

what did the flame test show?

Answer 24

specific elements will give off specific colors of light as the excited e- release energy and return to the ground state.

Question 25

why is the atomic mass of elements on the Periodic Table a number with a decimal value?

Answer 25

It is a weighted average of all the isotopes of that particular element.

Question 26

How do you calculate the weighted average atomic mass of an element?

Answer 26

Multiply the (% abundance x Mass of Isotope 1) + (% abundance x Mass of Isotope 2) + etc and divide all by 100.