Atoms and Atomic Structure

Question 1

What is an Atom, Where can it be found

Answer 1

• Atoms are the smallest whole particles, everything is made of atoms
• A collection of atoms is called a element, when atoms come together they form molecules
• When different atoms come together they form a compound
• Atoms are in fact made up of even smaller subatomic particles

Question 2

What’s in an Atom

Answer 2

• A nucleus made up of protons and neutrons with electrons orbiting them in shells
• Avogadro’s Number = 6.02 x 10(23)

Question 3

What’s Atomic Number

Answer 3

-Atomic Number is the number of protons (or electrons) in an atom. It also decides where an element sits on the periodic table

Question 4

What’s Mass Number

Answer 4

-The Mass Number tells us the mass of 1 atom in an element it is the sum of the protons AND neutrons

Question 5

What are the Masses and Charges in an Atom

Answer 5

• Proton: Mass = +1 / Charge = +1
• Neutron: Mass = +1 / Charge = 0
• Electron: Mass = 0.0005 / Charge = -1
• An Atom is neutral as the charges cancel each other out

Question 6

What’s an Isotope

Answer 6

• An isotope is an element with the same amount of protons as another element but a different amount of neutrons
• The value of an element given in the periodic table is a weighted average of it’s isotopes

Question 7

Electron Arrangments

Answer 7

-1st Orbital = 2 electrons maximum
2nd Orbital = 8 electron maximum

• Amount of electrons in the outer shell decide which group the element will be in
• Group 8 has a full outer shell which is what all the elements are trying to get when they react, this makes them incredibly unreactive