Test Flashcards
Plum Pudding Model
An early model of atomic structure proposing that atoms are spheres of positive charge with negative charges distributed within.
Example sentence: J.J. Thomson proposed the Plum Pudding Model in 1904.
Electron Shell Model
A modern model of atomic structure where a dense nucleus is surrounded by orbiting electrons in defined shells.
Additional information: Also known as the Bohr model.
Nucleus
The central part of an atom, containing protons and neutrons, and holding almost all of the atom’s mass.
Example sentence: The nucleus is positively charged due to the presence of protons.
Proton
A subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom, with a relative charge of +1.
Example sentence: Protons are positively charged particles.
Electron Capacity
The maximum number of electrons in a shell, calculated using the formula 2n², where n is the shell number.
Example sentence: The second shell has an electron capacity of 8.
Mass Number
The sum of protons and neutrons in an atom, represented by A.
Additional information: Mass number is used to calculate the atomic mass of an element.
Atomic Number
The number of protons in an atom, represented by Z.
Example sentence: Carbon has an atomic number of 6.
Isotopes
Atoms of the same element with the same atomic number but different numbers of neutrons.
Example sentence: Carbon-12 and Carbon-14 are isotopes of carbon.
Relative Atomic Mass
The mean mass of an atom of an element divided by one twelfth of the mean mass of a carbon-12 atom.
Additional information: Relative atomic mass is also known as atomic weight.
Chemical Reactivity
Isotopes react chemically in the same way due to identical proton numbers and electron configurations.
Example sentence: Isotopes of oxygen have the same chemical reactivity.
Hydrogen
An element with 1 proton and 0 neutrons.
Example sentence: Hydrogen is the lightest element on the periodic table.
Ions
Atoms that have lost or gained electrons, resulting in an overall charge.
Example sentence: Sodium ion has a positive charge.
Mass Spectrometry
An analytical technique used to identify isotopes and determine atomic mass.
Example sentence: Mass spectrometry is commonly used in forensic analysis.
Ionisation
The process of removing electrons from atoms to create charged ions.
Example sentence: Ionisation can be achieved through electron bombardment.
Time of Flight (TOF)
A mass spectrometry method that measures the time ions take to reach a detector.
Example sentence: Time of Flight mass spectrometry is based on ion acceleration.
Detection
The process where positive ions hit a negatively charged plate, gaining an electron and producing a flow of charge.
Example sentence: The detection process involves ionization of neutral particles.
Current
The flow of electric charge produced during the detection of ions, proportional to their abundance.
Example sentence: The strength of the current is directly related to the ion abundance.
Spectra
A print-out that displays the relative abundance of each isotope based on current values and flight times.
Example sentence: Spectra analysis provides valuable information about isotope distribution.
Mass to Charge Ratio
The ratio (m/z) that indicates how the mass of an ion relates to its charge, affecting its path in a magnetic field.
Example sentence: Mass to charge ratio is crucial in determining the trajectory of ions in a mass spectrometer.
Isotope Calculation
The method of determining the average atomic mass of an element using the abundance of its isotopes.
Example sentence: Isotope calculation involves weighted averages based on isotope abundance.
