C1.6 - R* Structure of the atom Flashcards
Nucleus (of an atom)
The nucleus (of an atom) is the very:
1. Small
2. Dense
central part of an atom that contains protons and neutrons
Electron
An electron is a tiny particle with a negative charge
Neutron
A neutron is a dense particle found in the nucleus of an atom
Proton
A proton is a tiny positive particle found inside the nucleus of an atom
Why does the nucleus itself have an overall positive charge?
The nucleus itself has an overall positive charge, because:
- Protons have a positive charge
- Neutrons have no charge and are neutral
What do a proton and a neutron each have?
A:
1. Proton
2. Neutron
each have the same mass
Relative mass of a proton
The relative mass of a proton is 1
Relative charge of a neutron
The relative charge of a neutron is 0
Relative charge of an electron
The relative charge of an electron is -1
Relative mass of an electron
The relative mass of an electron is 0.0005 (very small)
Relative charge of a proton
The relative charge of a proton is +1
Relative mass of a neutron
The relative mass of a neutron is 1
Why is there no overall charge on an atom (it is neutral), unlike ions?
There is no overall charge on an atom (it is neutral), unlike ions, because:
- They have the same number of protons as electrons
- The charge on the electrons is the same size as the charge on the protons, but opposite, so the positive and negative charges cancel out
What do all the atoms of a particular element have?
All the atoms of a particular element have the same number of protons
Atomic number
Atomic number is the number of protons (which equals the number of electrons) in an atom
How are the elements in the periodic table arranged?
The elements in the periodic table are arranged in order of their atomic number (number of protons)
Mass number
Mass number is the number of protons plus neutrons in the nucleus of an atom
What does the atomic number tell you?
The atomic number tells you how many protons there are
What does the mass number tell you?
The mass number tells you the total number of:
1. Protons
2. Neutrons
in the atom
What does the nuclear symbol of an atom tell you?
The nuclear symbol of an atom tells you its:
- Atomic (proton) number
- Mass number
How do you get the number of neutrons?
To get the number of neutrons, you subtract the atomic number from the mass number
The radius of an atom
The radius of an atom is about 0.1 nanometres
The radius of an atom is about 0.1 nanometres.
How many m is 0.1 nanometres?
0.1 nanometres = 1 x 10 to the power of -10 m
Where is the nucleus?
The nucleus is in the middle of the atom
The nucleus is in the middle of the atom.
What does the nucleus contain?
The nucleus contains:
- Protons
- Neutrons
The radius of a nucleus
The radius of a nucleus is:
1 x 10 to the power of -14 m
The radius of a nucleus is 1 x 10 to the power of -14 m.
What is the radius of a nucleus (1 x 10 to the power of -14 m) in relation to the radius of an atom?
The radius of a nucleus (1 x 10 to the power of -14 m) is around 1/10,000 of the radius of an atom
Where is almost the whole mass of the atom concentrated?
Almost the whole mass of the atom is concentrated in the nucleus
Electrons move around the nucleus in what?
Electrons move around the nucleus in electron shells
Electrons are negatively charged and tiny, but what do they do?
Electrons are:
1. Negatively charged
2. Tiny
,but they cover a lot of space
What determines the size of the atom?
The volume of the electron’s orbits determines the size of the atom
What do electrons virtually have none of?
Electrons virtually have no mass
An electron is a tiny particle with a negative charge.
Electrons do what in shells?
Electrons orbit the nucleus of: 1. Atoms Or, 2 Ions in shells
A neutron is a dense particle found in the nucleus of an atom.
It is what?
A neutron is electrically neutral, carrying no charge
A proton and a neutron each have the same mass, but electrons are so light that what?
A:
1. Proton
2. Neutron
each have the same mass, but electrons are so light that their mass can be ignored when working out the relative mass of atoms
Atomic number is also known as what?
Atomic number is also known as the proton number
