Practice Questions for Atomic Structure

Write out the table on page 6 of the booklet until you are certain that you know the mass and
charge of protons, neutrons and electrons.

Protons have the same mass as ……………………

The charge on the electron is ……………………..

The charge on the neutron is ………………

The mass number is the number of ………………………… and …………………….. added together

The atomic number is the number of ………………………..

In a neutral atom, the number of ……………..…..equals the number of ………………………. because the
opposite charges cancel out

The group number is the number of electrons in the outer shell e.g all elements with 3 outer
electrons are in group 3

Look at group 3, they have the same number of outer electrons but different numbers of …………..

The period number is the number of electron shells e.g all elements with 2 shells are in period 2

Use your periodic table to:

• Write the electronic configuration for magnesium ………………………………..

• How many shells does Magnesium have?
• What period is magnesium in?
• How many electrons does magnesium have in the outer shell?
• What group is magnesium in?
• How many protons does magnesium have?
• Name another element in the same group as Magnesium

Elements in the same period all have the same number of shells but different numbers of outer
electrons.

Elements in the same group have the same number of outer electrons but different numbers of
shells.

Elements react to form compounds. A compound is two or more elements chemically bonded
together. Noble gases in group 8 have 8 electrons in their outer shell and so do not react as the
outer shell is full.

When a compound is formed the two elements bond and the name of the second element
changes to ‘ide’ e,g sodium chloride, potassium oxide, lithium iodide
Use your periodic table to work out the number of subatomic particles, protons, neutrons,
electrons in oxygen

Oxygen: protons …… electrons …………… neutrons ……………..

Draw out the electron shells

What group is oxygen in?

What period is oxygen in?

When oxygen reacts with copper what will the compound formed be called?

Define the term isotope?

Define the term relative atomic mass?

Which subatomic particle is different in isotopes of the same element?

Work out the relative atomic mass of magnesium given that there are three isotopes 24Mg – 78.99%,
25Mg – 10.00%, 26Mg – 11.01%.

Give your answer to three significant figures.