Structure of the Atom

Question 1

What is an isotope?

Answer 1

An isotope of an element has the same atomic number but different mass number

Question 2

How does an isotope change in the number of protons and electrons?

Answer 2

Same number of protons but different number of neutrons

Question 3

What are ions?

Answer 3

Charged atoms

Question 4

What happens when ions gain electrons?

Answer 4

They become negative ions

Question 5

What happens when ions lose electrons

Answer 5

They become positive ions (cat ions)

Question 6

What is Rutherford’s experiment?

Answer 6

1. an alpha source is fired at a gold leaf
2. the alpha source is expected to go straight through
3. occasionally some alpha particles bounce back
4. conclusion: that the centre must have a small dense ball of protons and neutrons with the atom being mainly empty space