Chemistry Flashcards
What is a proton?
is a subatomic particle that contains a positive charge, refers to the fundamental unit of charge and one atomic mass unit (AMU)
What is a neutron?
is a subatomic particle that contains no charge and has a mass of one AMU
What are nucleons?
groups of protons and neutrons that form the nucleus of the atom
What is an electron?
is a subatomic particle that contains a negative charge and has a mass unit that is 1/1823 amus of a proton. this also means that when comparing the mass of different atoms, the mass of an electron is negilible
What are valence electrons?
Electrons can be arranged in shells around an atom and the electrons in the outer shell are called valence electrons. They play an important role in chemical reactions and bonding.
What is the atomic number?
the number of protons determines the element a specific atom is, regardless of the number of neutrons it is
What are isotopes?
atoms of the same atomic number, but with differing numbers of neutrons are isotopes. Isotopes will have a different atomic mass since there is a varying amounts of neutrons
What does the atomic weight refer to?
the weighted average of the masses of naturally occurring isotopes (ie phosphorus 30 and phosphorus 31 weights are averaged together)
What does a strong nuclear force refer to?
is a fundamental force that prevents the nucleus from ripping apart. it is an attractive force that holds the protons and neutrons together