1

Class

ATOMS AND MOLECULES

Atom
Ancient thoughts about ‘atom’: The idea about the divisibility of matter was given by Indian
and Greek philosophers around 500 BC. The smallest indivisible particle was called ‘parmanu’
or ‘atom’ (in Greek).
Laws of chemical combination (based on experiments)
(a) Law of conservation of mass. Mass can neither be created nor destroyed or in
any chemical reaction, the total mass of the reactants is equal to the total mass of the products.
For example, for the reaction,
AgNO3 (aq)+ NaCl (aq) ¾® AgCl (s) + NaNO3 (aq),
Total mass of AgNO3 (aq) + NaCl (aq) = Total mass of AgCl (s) + NaNO3 (aq).
(b) Law of constant proportions. A chemical compound is always made up of two
or more atoms of same or different elements combined together in the same fixed proportion
by mass. For example, H2O always contains H and O in the fixed ratio of 1 : 8 by mass.
Dalton’s Atomic Theory. This theory was put forward by Dalton (1808) to explain the laws of
chemical combination.

Properties of Atoms
• Atom: An atom is the smallest particle of an element, which may or may not be able
to exist freely. It is, however, the smallest particle that takes part in a chemical reaction.
• Size of atoms: Atoms are so small in size that they cannot be seen even under a
microscope. Their radii are of the order of 10 -10 m (1 nm = 10 -9 m) .

• How do atoms exist? Atoms of most of the elements exist in the combined state (as
H2, O2, etc. or H2O, NH3 etc.) or as ions in the aqueous solution (as H+, Cu2+, Ag+ etc.).
• Symbols of atoms: Short hand method of representing full name of an element is
called its symbol. It is first capital letter or first capital letter and another small letter from the
full name. For example, carbon (C), cobalt (Co), chlorine (Cl), copper (Cu, from Latin name,
cuprum).
• Atomic mass unit (amu) or unified mass (u): It is 1/12th of the mass of an atom of
carbon-12 isotope.
• Atomic mass: Atomic mass of an element is the average relative mass of its atoms
as compared with mass of carbon-12 isotope taken as 12 units.
• Molecule: A molecule is the smallest particle of an element or a compound, which is
capable of free existence.
• Atomicity: The number of atoms present in one molecule of the substance is called
its atomicity. Thus, we have monoatomic, diatomic, triatomic, tetratomic or polyatomic
molecules.
• Some molecules of elements: Monoatomic = He, Ne, Na, Al, Fe etc. Diatomic = H2,
O2, N2 etc. Triatomic = O3. Tetratomic = P4.
• Some molecules of compounds: Diatomic = HCl, CO etc. Triatomic = H2O, SO2, CO2

1
2
Class

etc. Tetratomic = NH3, H2O2 etc., Polyatomic = H2SO4, P2O5 etc.

• Molecular mass: It is the average relative mass of its molecules as compared with
that of an atom of C-12 isotope taken as 12. It is calculated by adding atomic masses of all
the atoms present in one molecule of the substance.
• Ion: An atom or a group of atoms which carries positive or negative charge is called
an “ion”, e.g., Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ etc.(cation) or Cl–, Br–, I–, NO3- , CO32 - , SO 24 - etc. (anion)

Names and symbols of some ions

Valency Metallic Symbol Non-metallic Symbol Polyatomic ions Symbol

element element

1. Sodium Na+ Hydrogen H+ Ammonium NH4+

Potassium K+ Hydride H- Hydroxide OH-

Silver Ag+ Chloride Cl- Nitrate NO 3-

Copper (I)* Cu+ Bromide Br- Hydrogen HCO 3-

carbonate
Iodide I-

2. Magnesium Mg2+ Oxide O2- Carbonate CO 32-

Calcium Ca2+ Sulphide S2- Sulphite SO 32-

Zinc Zn2+

Iron (II)* Fe2+ Sulphate SO 24-

Copper (II)* Cu2+

3. Aluminium Al3+
Nitride N3- Phosphate PO 34-
Iron (III)* Fe3+

• Cations and Anions: The ion carrying positive charge is called “cation” whereas an
ion carrying a negative charge is called an “anion”.
• Monoatomic and Polyatomic ions: Ions consisting of only single atom are called
monoatomic whereas ions consisting of groups of atoms are called polyatomic.
• Valency: Valency of an element is defined as its combining capacity. It is equal to the
number of H-atoms or number of Cl-atoms or double the number of O-atoms with which one
atom of the element combines. In case of ions, valency is defined as the number of units of
charge present on the ion. Thus, we generally have monovalent, divalent or trivalent ions.

• Examples of cations: Monovalent = H+, Na+, K+, Ag+, NH+4 etc.

Divalent = Mg2+, Ca2+, Ba2+, Zn2+, Cu2+ etc. Trivalent = Al3+, Fe3+ etc.

• Examples of anions: Monovalent = Cl–, Br–, I–, NH3- etc. Divalent = O2–, S2–,
CO32 - , SO 24 - etc. Trivalent = PO34 - etc.

2
3
Class

• Writing chemical formulae: Write symbols of elements or ions (polyatomic in

brackets). Write their respective valencies below them. Apply crisscross of valencies. Cancel
out common factor, if any. For example, for aluminium sulphate,
Symbol Al (SO4)
Formula = Al2(SO4)3
Charge 3+ 2–

Mole Concept
• Gram atomic mass: Atomic mass of an element expressed in grams is called its gram
atomic mass. This amount is called ‘one gram atom’.
• Gram molecular mass: Molecular mass of a substance expressed in grams is called
gram molecular mass. This amount is called ‘one gram molecule’.
• Gram formula unit mass: For ionic compounds, the formula unit mass expressed in
grams is called gram formula unit mass.

• Avogadro’s number (N0): Avogadro’s number of particles = 6.022 ´ 10 23 particles.

Particles can be atoms, molecules, ions, grains, sand etc.
Mole
• One mole of atoms has mass equal to gram atomic mass and contains Avogadro’s
number of atoms.
• One mole of molecules has mass equal to gram molecular mass and contains
Avogadro’s number of molecules or has a volume of 22.4 L at STP if the substance is a gas.
• One mole of an ionic compound has mass equal to gram formula unit mass and
contains Avogadro’s number of formula units.
• Molar mass: The mass of one mole of the substance is called its molar mass. Its
units are g mol–1. Thus, it can be equal to gram atomic mass or gram molecular mass or
gram formula mass depending upon whether the substance is atomic, molecular or ionic