The Atom

Grade 10 Science
 Atomic structure

a.
Electrons
d.
Nucleon

b. c.
Neutron Proton
Atom
• Describe the structure of an atom (nucleus in centre and electrons in the space
around).
• Define atomic number.
• Determine for an atom/ion the:
• atomic number
• Number of protons
• Number of electrons
• Number of neutrons
• Mass number
• Determine the charge on an ion after removing/ adding electrons to an atom.
What IS ATOM
• Atoms are the very small particles of which all elements are made- they are the
basic building block of all matter – including your own body, your hair, your
organs, the earth, the sun are all made of different combinations of atoms.
• E.g. Your body is made of 65% Oxygen, 19% Carbon and 10% Hydrogen by mass.
• All known elements are arranged on the periodic table in order of increasing
atomic number.
• Periodic refers to ‘repeating patterns.’ Elements are arranged into groups (vertical
columns) and periods (horizontal rows).
• Elements in within a group have similar physical and chemical properties.
• Atomic theory is the basis for understanding the interactions and changes in
matter.
ATOMS AND SUB-ATOMIC PARTICLES
• There are three subatomic particles that are found inside the atoms, i.e. protons,
neutrons and electrons.
• The nucleus is in the centre of the atom and contributes most of the mass. The
nucleus is made of the protons and neutrons which are called nucleons.
• Because subatomic particles have extremely small masses, the atomic mass unit
amu is used. 1 𝑎𝑚𝑢 = 1,677 × 10−27 𝑘𝑔.
• The mass of an atom is measured relative to the mass of carbon-12 atom.
Carbon-12 is exactly 12 amu, therefore 1 amu is one-twelfth the mass of carbon-
12 atom.
Electron
• The electron is a very light particle. It has a mass of 9, 11 × 10-31 kg. Scientists believe
that the electron can be treated as a point particle or elementary particle meaning
that it can’t be broken down into anything smaller.
• The electron also carries one unit of negative electric charge which is the same as (-
1, 6 × 10-19 C) (Coulombs).
• The electrons determine the charge on an atom.
• If the number of electrons is the same as the number of protons then the atom
will be neutral.
• If the number of electrons is greater than the number of protons then the atom
will be negatively charged.
• If the number of electrons is less than the number of protons then the atom will
be positively charged.
• Atoms that are not neutral are called ions.
• For each electron you remove from an electron you gain a +1 and for each
electron added you gain -1 charge
Proton and Neutron: Nucleons (Nucleus)
• Unlike the electron, the nucleus can be broken up into smaller building blocks called
protons and neutrons. Together, the protons and neutrons are called nucleons.
• Each proton carries one unit of positive electric charge (1, 6 × 10-19 C).
• Since we know that atoms are electrically neutral, i.e. do not carry any extra charge,
then the number of protons in an atom has to be the same as the number of electrons
to balance out the positive and negative charge to zero.
• The total positive charge of a nucleus is equal to the number of protons in the nucleus.
The proton is much heavier than the electron (10 000 times heavier!) and has a mass
of 1, 6726 × 10-27 kg.
• When we talk about the atomic mass of an atom, we are mostly referring to the
combined mass of the protons and neutrons, i.e. the nucleons.
• The neutron is electrically neutral i.e. it carries no charge at all
Atomic Number

• Elements in the periodic table are arranged in order of increasing atomic number
(Z).
• The number of protons (Z) gives each element its unique properties.
• Z also indicates how many electrons are present in the atom as the atom is
electrically neutral.
• A indicates the mass of the atom how many nucleons are present in the atom.
• Number of neutrons = Atomic mass number - Number of protons (N = A - Z)
Simulation
• https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/build-an-atom/latest/build-an-
atom_all.html
Atomic Number
Stratergy
• Step 1: Swap from periodic table
• Step 2 apply P (protons),E (eletron), N(Neutron N=A-Z)
Example
• Use standard notation to represent sodium and give the number of proton, neutrons
and electrons in the element.
Na
(Z) Atomic number is 11:
• 11 protons.
• Therefore, 11 electrons since it is neutral no charge indicated
(A)Atomic Mass is 23:
• Neutrons = Atomic mass – Atomic Number
• 𝑁 =𝐴−𝑍
• = 23 − 11
• = 12
In standard notation sodium is given by:
23
11 Na
. The number of protons is 11, the number of neutrons is 12 and the number of electrons is 11
Examples
For each of the following indicate the number of protons, electron and neutron.
Activity 4
1. Define Atomic Number
2. Use standard notation to represent the element
oxygen.
3. Use standard notation to represent the element
nitrogen.
4. Use standard notation to represent the element
magnesium.
5. For each of the following indicate the number of protons,
electron and neutron.
a) Chlorine
b) Sulphur
c) Carbon
d) Iron
Isotopes
• Define: isotopes,relative atomic mass.
• Calculate the relative atomic mass of naturally occurring
elements from the percentage of each isotope in a sample.
• Represent atoms using the notation 𝐸𝑍 𝐴 where E = symbol of
element, Z = atomic number, A mass number.
• Use Aufbau diagrams and sp notation (electron configuration) to
give electronic arrangements of atoms up to Z = 20.
• Describe an atomic orbital. Know that each orbital corresponds
to a specific energy of electrons in it.
Aufbau Diagrams
•Aufbau diagrams is most detailed description of
the way the orbitals are filled with electrons.
•Pauli’s exclusion principle:
Maximum of two electrons per orbital provided that they
spin in opposite directions. (arrows in opposite directions)
•Hund’s rule:
No pairing in p orbitals before at least one electron in each
of them.
Aufbau Diagram
The orbitals are filled from the lowest energy at the bottom in the following way:
Spectroscopic Electron Configuration (spd) notation:
• This is a concise way to indicate the electron arrangement in an atom. This is
similar to the Aufbau diagram, but represents it in a simpler way
Electron Configuration of ions
• We can also concisely represent the Electron Configuration of ions in this way:
• Anions: Negative ions have gained electrons
• Cations: Positive ions have lost electrons
Lewis dot structures
• Lewis dot diagrams are used to show the position of the valence electrons
around an element. The valence electrons are related to the group of the
element.
• Valence electrons correspond to the group number of an element on the Periodic
table.
• Valence electrons: electrons in the outermost energy level of an atom that take
part in bonding.
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5/1/2024 PRESENTATION TITLE 22
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Activity
1. Draw Aufbau diagram to show the electron
configuration of each of the following elements:
a) Magnesium.
b) Potassium.
c) Sulphur.
d) Neon.
e) Nitrogen.
Activity
Activity
1. Draw Lewis dot symbol for the following elements and the number of
bonds the element can make:
a) Sodium
b) Aluminium
c) Nitrogen
d) Oxygen
e) Iron
Isotopes
• Isotopes of an element have the same number of protons (same Z) but a different
number of neutrons (N).
• Isotopes are atom with the same atomic number, but different mass number.
• The different isotopes of an element have the same atomic number Z but different mass
numbers A because they have a different number of neutrons N. The chemical
properties of the different isotopes of an element are the same
• Isotopes differ in Neutrons (N) and mass
• Isotopes have same numbers of protons (atomic number-Z)
• Isotopes have the same:
• number of protons
• number of electrons
• chemical properties.
• Isotopes have different:
• number of neutrons
• different masses
Isotopes
Isotopes
1. Isotopes differ in Neutrons (N) and (A)mass
2. Isotopes have same numbers of protons (atomic number-Z)
Example
 Atomic mass

•Relative atomic mass is the mass of an atom in an element relative to the mass
of a carbon-12 atom.

•A magnesium atom has a relative atomic mass double that of carbon -12. so
its mass is 24.

•One atom of carbon has 12 mass units.

•The atomic mass unit (u) is exactly 1/12 of the mass of an atom of carbon–12.

•The mass of protons and neutrons is almost the same.

Relative Atomic Mass (RAM)
• RAM indicates how many times the average mass of an atom of a certain element
is heavier than 1/12 the mass of a carbon atom.
• Isotopes in an element are responsible for the RAM of elements NOT being whole
numbers
• Relative atomic mass takes into account all the isotopes of the elements and their
percentage occurrence in nature.
• In nature the different isotopes occur in different percentage. For example Cl – 35
might make up 75% of all chlorine atoms on Earth, and Cl – 37 the remaining 25%.
Example
• The element chlorine has two isotopes, chlorine-35 and chlorine-37. The abundance of these isotopes when
they occur naturally is 75% chlorine-35 and 25% chlorine-37. Calculate the average relative atomic mass for
chlorine
Activity
1. Define the term Isotopes
2. If a sample contains 19.9% boron-10 and 80.1% boron-11, calculate the
relative atomic mass of an atom of boron in the sample.
3. If a sample contains 79% Mg-24, 10% Mg-25 and 11% Mg-26, calculate
the relative atomic mass of an atom of magnesium in that sample.
4. What is the relative atomic mass of Neon if it has the following isotopes?
Neon-20 90,92%
Neon-21 0,26%
Neon-22 8,82%