elements and the periodic table vocab Flashcards
atom (could be on test)
the basic particle from which all elements are made
electron (could be on test)
a negatively charged particle that is found outside the nucleus of an atom
nucleus (could be on test)
the central core of an atom
protons (could be on test)
a positively charged particle that is part of an atom’s nucleus
neutron (could be on test)
a small particle in the nucleus of the atom with no chemical change
atomic number (could be bonus, but not on test)
the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom
isotope (could be bonus, but not on test)
an atom with the same number of protons and a different number of neutrons from other atoms of the same elements
atomic mass (could be on test)
the average mass of all the isotopes of an element
periodic table (could be on test)
a chart of all the elements showing the repeating pattern of their properties
nuclear fusion (could be bonus, but not on test)
the process in which two atomic nuclei combine to form a larger nucleus, forming a heavier element and releasing huge amounts of energy
metal (could be on test)
a class of elements characterized by physical properties that include shininess, malleability, ductility, and conductivity
nonmetal (could be on test)
an element that lacks most of the properties of metal
metalloid (could be on test)
an element that has some characteristics of both metals and nonmetals
radioactivity (could be bonus, but not on test)
the spontaneous emission of radioactivity by an unstable atomic nucleus
gamma radiation (could be bonus, but not on test)
a type of nuclear radiation made of high-energy waves
