Chemical Context of Life Flashcards
Atom
basic unit of matter; made of smaller subatomic particles
Subatomic particles that make up an atom
Protons, neutrons, electrons
What makes up an atom?
Nucleus, electrons, protons, neutrons, empty space, electron shells, valence shell, electron cloud
Proton
Positively charged particles
Neutron
Particles with no charge
What makes up the nucleus of an atom
Protons and neutrons
What is the charge of an atom (USUALLY)
neutral
Strong nuclear force
force that holds the protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom together
What takes up 99% of the mass of an atom?
nucleus
Where is the nucleus of an atom located?
center of an atom
How do you measure the mass of the nucleus of an atom?
With atomic mass units (A.M.U) or daltons
One proton is equal to…
1 AMU (or dalton)
Electron
Negatively charged particle with 1/1840 mass of a proton. Electrons are in constant motion in the space surrounding the nucleus because they are attracted to the positive charge of the protons but do not bond with them because of their fast motion.
There are ____ amount of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.
an equal (usually)
What is the charge of an (most) atom?
Neutral because they have an even amount of electrons and protons.
Electron Cloud
the space in which the electrons revolve around the nucleus
Valence Shell
Outermost shell of an atom; contains valence electrons
Electron shell vs Electron Cloud
Electron Shell - used to visualize where electrons are, and how many are on each level
Electron Clod - describes location and energy of electrons
Element
pure substance that consists entirely of one type of atom that cannot be broken down by simple chemical means
More than ___ elements are known but only about ____ are commonly found in living organisms
100; 24
How are elements written?
One or two letter symbols (Na, H)
Atomic Number
amount of protons in the nucleus; written bottom left
Isotope
Elements with differing amounts of neutrons (Carbon-6, Carbon-7,etc.)
(Elements can be isotopes of one another)
Mass number
total amount of protons and neutrons (written top left)
How are isotopes identified?
by their mass number
Atomic mass
Average mass of all of the isotopes of a given element
96% of living matter is made of __ elements:
4; nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen
Radioactive Isotope
Isotopes that have a radioactive nuclei, which decays spontaneously because they have a very different amount of neutrons from the original amount which can lead to a change in the number of protons and subsequently the identity
Uses of radioactive isotopes
Can be dangerous, but also used to treat cancer, determine the age of rocks and fossils, kill bacteria, etc.
Compound
a substance formed by the chemical combination of two or more elements, in the same (never changes) proportions (can be ionic bonded or covalently bonded)
Chemical Formula
shows the composition of compounds (H20, NaCl)
Chemical Bonds
bonds that hold the atoms in molecules/elements together. Formed with the valence electrons
Main types of Chemical Bonds
Ionic bonds and covalent bonds
Ionic Bonds
formed when one or more electrons are transferred from one atom to another.
(because one atom has too many valence electrons and needs to give away to get 8 –> gives to atom with less than 8 valence electrons)
Covalent Bonds
formed when electrons are shared by atoms.
(because both electrons need 8 valence electrons but not give any away)
Ion
positively or negatively charged atoms
molecule
the smallest unit of most compounds; formed when atoms COVALENTLY bond
Van der Waals Forces
When atoms covalently bond to form molecules there is sometimes a charge that forms, (positive or negative) because one atom might have a stronger pull on the electrons being shared than the other atom. This causes molecules to be attracted to one another (if one positive and other negative). This INTERMOLECULAR force is extremely weak.
Octet Rule
Atoms always want an outer layer of 8 valence atoms (reason for bonds)
Single Bond
2 shared electrons
Double Bond
4 shared electrons
Triple bond
6 shared electrons
Important Chemical Formulas
Glucose; Water
Water
H20
Glucose
C6H1206
Electronegativity
The relative ability of an atom IN A BOND to attract electrons to itself
Trace Elements
elements that are required by an organism in small quantities
Examples of trace elements
Fe, I, Cu
Electron Affinity
the energy change associated with adding an electron to a gaseous atom.
Matter
anything with mass/ takes up space
How many elements exist in nature
92
How can compounds be bonded
ionically or covalently