The Atom Flashcards
Name three types of particle
- Proton
- Neutron
- Electron
Explain the structure of an atom
Most of the mass of the atom is concentrated in the nucleus. The nucleus is made up of protons and neutrons. Electrons whizz around the nucleus in orbitals. Orbitals make up most of the volume of an atom
What are the relative masses of the subatomic particles?
- Proton = 1
- Neutron = 1
- Electrons = 1/2000
What are the relative charges of the subatomic particles?
- Proton = +1
- Neutrons = 0
- Electrons = -1
What does a nuclear symbol show?
Nuclear symbols show the number of protons, neutrons and electrons in an atom
What is the mass number?
The mass number tells you the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus
What does the atomic (proton) number tell you?
This is the number of protons in the nucleus - it identifies the element. All atoms of the same element have the same number of protons
In neutral atoms, what is the number of electrons?
The number of electrons is the same as the number of protons
How do you work out the number of neutrons?
The number of neutrons is the mass number - the atomic number
How do ions form?
Ions form by losing or gaining electrons
What do negative ions have in terms of protons and electrons?
Negative ions have more electrons than protons
What do positive ions have in terms of protons and electrons?
Positive ions have fewer electrons than protons
What is an isotope?
Isotopes of an element are atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons
Do isotopes of an element have the same chemical properties?
It’s the number and arrangement of electrons that decides the chemical properties of an element. isotopes have the same configuration of electrons, so they have the chemical properties
Do isotopes of an element have the same physical properties?
The physical properties of an element depends on the mass of the atom. They have different numbers of neutrons and therefore have different masses, so the physical properties of isotopes are slightly different