Atomic Structure

Learning objectives
identify and describe protons, neutrons and electrons in terms of their relative
charges and relative masses
Success criteria
1.Must: identify and describe protons, neutrons and electrons in terms of their
relative charges and relative masses
2.Should:deduce the behaviour of beams of protons, neutrons and electrons
in electric fields
3.Could: deduce the numbers of protons, neutrons and electrons present in
both atoms and ions given proton and nucleon numbers (atomic and mass
numbers) and charge
Key Words
Element, atom, proton, neutron, electron, deflection, a.m.u., atomic number,
Starter
Below is the Daltons Atomic Theory proposed in the 1820’s. It helped to
further chemistry knowledge. Remember at this time the periodic table was
non existent only a few elements were known and the protons, neutrons and
electrons had not yet been discovered.

Which of the theories have been proved to be wrong?

What is an element?
An element is defined as a substance made up of only one kind of atoms.
Elements may be present in any form; solid, liquid and gas. Every element in
the periodic table has a distinct symbol and is present in a particular form at its
standard state.
What is an atom?
An atom can be defined as the smallest particle of an element that can take
part in a chemical reaction. An atom is composed of two regions: the nucleus,
which is in the center of the atom and contains protons and neutrons, and the
outer region of the atom, which holds its electrons in orbits around the nucleus.
Behaviour of beams of protons, neutrons and electrons in electric fields
• When a beam of fundamental particles i.e. electrons, protons and neutrons
are subjected in an electric field, electrons deflect towards the positive plate,
protons to the negative plate and neutrons pass undeflected between the
plates. If the electrons and protons travel with the same speed, then the
lighter electrons are deflected far more strongly than the heavier protons.

• Conclusion: protons are positively charged and massive, electrums are

negatively charged and light while neutrons are neutral (chargeless).
Strucrure of the atom
• The protons and the nucleons are together referred to as the nucleons as they
reside in the nucleus.
• Protons and neutrons have approximately the same mass, about 1.67 × 10-24
grams, which scientists define as one atomic mass unit (amu).
• Each electron has a negative charge (-1) equal to the positive charge of a
proton (+1).
• Neutrons are uncharged particles found within the nucleus.
Protons, neutrons and electrons in terms of their relative charges and relative
masses

• atom: An atom can be defined as the smallest particle of an element that

can take part in a chemical reaction
• proton: Positively charged subatomic particle forming part of the nucleus of
an atom and determining the atomic number of an element. It weighs 1
amu.
• neutron: A subatomic particle forming part of the nucleus of an atom. It has
no charge. It is equal in mass to a proton or it weighs 1 amu.
The nucleus of the atom
An atom is composed of two regions: the nucleus, which is in the center of the atom
and contains protons and neutrons, and the outer region of the atom, which holds its
electrons in orbits around the nucleus. The protons and neutrons are referred to as the
nucleons since they are together found inside the nucleus.
Atomic Number (proton number)
The number of protons in an atom is called the atomic number.
Since the number of protons in the atoms of a particular element is always the same,
the atomic number of an element is fixed.
Examples
▸ Carbon atoms contain 6 protons, therefore they have the atomic number 6.
▸ Calcium atoms contain 20 protons, therefore they have the atomic number 20.
▸ The periodic table arranges elements based on their atomic number.
The atomic number of an element is written above its chemical symbol.
Since neutral atoms have the same number of electrons as protons, the atomic
number also equals the number of electrons in an atom but only in neutral atoms.
Mass Number (or nucleon number)
The number of protons plus the number of neutrons in an atom is called the
mass number.
In other words, the mass number refers to the number of particles in the
nucleus of an atom.Since the number of neutrons in the atoms of a particular
element can vary, the mass number of an element can vary. The number of
neutrons in an atom can be determined by subtracting the number of protons
(atomic number) from the mass number.

Synbol notation
The symbol of an atom is written with the atomic (proton) number written in
top left corner above the symbol of the element while the mass number is
written in bottom left corner of the symbol. e.g,
Isotopes
Atoms that have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons are called
isotopes. In other words, isotopes have the same atomic number, but different mass numbers.
Since they have the same number of protons, isotopes are different forms of the same
element.
There are two main ways of depicting isotopes of an element to distinguish between them.
i)Including the isotope’s mass number with the element’s name. e.g carbon - 12
ii)Including the isotope’s mass number and atomic number with the element’s symbol. ¹¹₅B.
Example
Boron atoms contain 5 protons. There are two isotopes of boron – one containing 5 neutrons
and one containing 6 neutrons. These isotopes therefore have the atomic number 5 and mass
numbers 10 and 11 respectively.
They can be written as boron-10 and boron-11, or as ¹⁰₅B and ¹¹₅B.
Almost all elements exist as two or more isotopes. The proportions of different isotopes are
fixed for a particular element, but differ between elements. For example, naturally occurring
boron consists of 20% boron-10 and 80% boron-11; naturally occurring bromine consists of
51% bromine-79 and 49% bromine-81.
Symbol notation of Boron 10 and Boron -11.
Atomic Number
The number of protons in an atom is called the atomic number.
Since the number of protons in the atoms of a particular element is always the
same, the atomic number of an element is fixed.
Examples
▸ Carbon atoms contain 6 protons, therefore they have the atomic number 6.
▸ Calcium atoms contain 20 protons, therefore they have the atomic number
20.
The periodic table arranges elements based on their atomic number.
The atomic number of an element is written above its chemical symbol.
Since atoms have the same number of electrons as protons, the atomic number
also equals the number of electrons in an atom.
However the technical definition is based on the number of protons as it is
possible for atoms to gain or lose electrons (which you will learn about a bit
later).
Plenary

Problems
1. How many protons, neutrons, and electrons do chlorine-35 atoms have?
2. The mass of gold (Au) is 197, how many neutrons does it have?
3. Carbon has several isotopes. 14C has how many protons, electrons, and neutrons?
4. What is the atomic number of Li+? How many protons and electrons does Li+
have?
5. What does the mass number on the periodic table represent?
Home Work
Attempt all questions uploaded in the resource folder as Worksheet Atomic
Structure in the phoenix platform.

Hand in by next lesson.

Summary
• The number of protons in an atom is called the atomic number.
• Atomic Number = Number of Protons
• The number of protons plus the number of neutrons in an atom is called
the mass number.
• Mass Number = Number of Protons + Number of Neutrons
• The atomic number of an element is fixed but the mass number can vary.
• Atoms that have the same atomic number (number of protons) but
different mass numbers (number of neutrons) are called isotopes.
Answers
1.Because chlorine has an atomic number of 17, chlorine has 17 protons, 18,
neutrons, and 17 electrons
2. 118 neutrons
3. 6 protons, 8 neutrons, and 6 electrons
4. Z=3, 3 protons, 2 electrons5. The mass number represents the average
mass of all of the isotopes of that particular element.