Basic Atomic Structure

Question 1

What is an atom?

Answer 1

basic unit of an element that can enter into chemical combination

Question 2

Define electron, proton, neutron, and nucleaus. State charge.

Answer 2

1. Electrons: negatively charged particles
2. Nucleus: dense central core of an atom
3. Protons: positively charged particles in the nucleus
4. Neutrons: electrically neutral particles having a mass slightly greater than that of protons

Question 3

What is an atomic number?

Answer 3

number of protons in the nucleus of each atom of an element

Question 4

What is a mass number? aka atomic mass?

Answer 4

total number of neutrons and protons present in the nucleus of an atom of an element. It is expressed in atomic mass units, a.k.a amu.

Question 5

What is an isotope?

Answer 5

atoms that have the same atomic number but different mass numbers