Name: _______________________________________Grade & Section: _____________________________

Science 9 LESSON: Electronic Structure of Matter

QUARTER 2
MELC: The development of atomic models that led to the
Module 1 description of the behavior of electrons. (S9MT - IIb -14)

I. Presentation
Basic Atomic Theory, The Structure of Matter
The field of study we call electricity is the investigation of the forces created by charged particles,
especially electrons, and the motion and interactions of those particles. The electron is a fundamental
component of matter and is considered to have the smallest possible unit of negative charge. In
comparison to ordinary visible objects in our environment, the electron is an extremely small particle,
having a mass of only 9.109 X 10-31 kg.

1.1 Atomic Structure

All matter is composed of atoms, each of which has a central nucleus and one or more electrons that
travel in orbits around the nucleus, like satellites around the earth. The nucleus contains one or more
positively charged particles called protons. The positive charge of a proton is ‘opposite’ to the negative
charge of an electron, in the sense that the total, or net, charge of the combination is zero. Thus, an atom
that has the same number of electrons in orbit as it has protons in its nucleus is electrically neutral. The
nucleus of every atom except that of hydrogen also contains one or more neutrons, which carry no
electrical charge. The number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom uniquely determines
the element it represents - iron, copper, oxygen, and so on - and all the atoms of a given element have
identical nuclei.

Figure 1 is a diagram of the structure of the helium atom. Notice

that the nucleus is a cluster of two protons and two neutrons and
that there are two electrons in an orbit, called an electron shell,
around the nucleus. The atom is electrically neutral because the
two positively charged protons neutralize the two negatively
charged electrons.

A very important fact that accounts for many of the electrical

phenomena we will study in this site is that there is a force of
attraction between oppositely charged particles and a force of
repulsion between similarly charged particles. For example, two
electrons in the vicinity of one another will each experience a
force that drives them apart. An electron and a proton will each
experience a force that draws them together. The following Figure 1 Helium’s Atom
statement summarizes this behavior: “Like charges repel and
opposite charges attract”.
1.2 Predicting the Probable Location of an Electron
Probability means possibility. It is a measure of the likelihood of an event to occur. For example, when
we toss a coin, either we get Head or Tail. The concept of probability will be used in this activity to tell
the possible location of an electron in an atom.
The formula calculating the area of circle, column (C) in the table below, is 𝐴 = 𝜋𝑟2.
For example, for circle with a radius of 1cm, the area=3.14 x (1cm)2 =3.14 cm2.
The calculated values in column (D) is the difference of the areas of the two
consecutive circles like for Circle 1&2=28.17-3.14=25.13
Determine the probability of finding a dot in each of the circles by dividing the
number of dots per cm2(column F) by the total number of dots (100).
Example: Percent Probability of Finding Dots=0.1920/100=19.20%

1.3Analyzing Bohr Model Diagrams

What is Bohr Model?

❖ Bohr model is an atomic model that was proposed by Niels Bohr (in 1915) to explain the structure of
an atom (see figure 1 and 2 as an example).

❖ It is considered as a modification of the Rutherford model. This model is more advanced than
Rutherford model which does not describe the movement of electrons along electron shells around the
nucleus.

❖ Bohr model also explains that these electron shells are located at discrete energy levels.
Concepts in Bohr Model

• The electrons move around the nucleus in spherical orbitals

which have a fixed size and energy.
• The energy of an orbital is related to its size.
• The smallest orbit has the lowest energy.
• The atom is completely stable when electrons are
at the lowest energy level.
• Electrons can move from one energy level to
Figure 2 Bohr’s Model
another by absorbing or releasing energy in the form of radiation.
There are few drawbacks in the Bohr model when explaining the atomic structure of atoms other
than Hydrogen. Bohr model could not explain Zeeman effect (effect of magnetic field on the atomic
spectrum) or stark effect (effect of electrical field on the atomic spectrum). This model also cannot explain
the line spectra of large atoms. Thus, another model was introduced to know the arrangement of
electrons in atoms in terms of the probability of finding an electron in certain locations within the atom.
Part 1.2, helped you understand how the possible location of the electron can be determined.
Through mathematical calculations, scientists explained that there is only a probability that the electron
can be found in a certain volume in space around the nucleus. This volume or region of space around the
nucleus where the electron is most likely to be found is called an atomic orbital. Schrodinger formulated
a mathematical equation that describes the behavior of the electron. The solution to the equation is used
to calculate the probability of finding the electron at a particular region in space around the nucleus.
In activity 2, you were introduced to the most acceptable model of an atom which is the Quantum Model
of an Atom.
What is Quantum Model?
Quantum model is an atomic model which is considered as the modern atomic model to explain
the structure of an atom accurately. It can describe the effects that could not be explained by the Bohr
model. The quantum mechanical model of the atom describes the atom as having a nucleus at the center
around in which the electrons move. This model describes a region in space where the electron is most
likely to be found. An electron is imagined to be a cloud of negative charge having a certain geometrical
shape. The electrons are arranged in principal or main energy levels that consist of one or more
sublevels.

The quantum mechanical model of the atom comes from the mathematical solution to the
Schrodinger equation. The quantum mechanical model views an electron as a cloud of negative charge
having a certain geometrical shape. This model shows how likely an electron could be found in various
locations around the nucleus. However, the model does not give any information about how the electron
moves from one position to another.

Figure 3 shows that the darker an

area, the greater is the probability
of finding the electron in that area.
Figure 3
The quantum mechanical model
also gives information about the
energy of the electron. The model
also describes the region of space
around the nucleus as consisting
of shells. These shells are also
called principal or main energy
levels. The principal energy levels
or shells may have one or more
sublevels. These sublevels are
assigned with letters: s, p, d, f, and
g as shown in Table 2.
II. Application
Activity 1 Directions: Describe how it is likely to find the electron in an atom by probability by
performing the activity below. (Please refer to the discussion on Part 1.2 Table 1)
Procedure:
1. First, prepare the following materials, one sheet of short bond paper or half of a short folder, pencil or
colored marker with small tip, compass, graphing paper, and one-foot ruler
2. On the sheet of paper or folder, draw a dot on the center.
3. Draw 5 concentric circles around the dot so that the radius of each circle is 1.0 cm, 3 cm, 5 cm, 7cm and
9 cm from the dot.
4. Tape the paper on the floor so that it will not move.
5. Ask someone at home to be your partner for this activity. Stand on the opposite side of the target from
your partner. (Target is the center which represent the nucleus of an atom). Hold a pencil or marker at
chest level above the center of the circles you have drawn.
6. Drop the pencil or marker so that it will leave 100 dots on the circles drawn on paper or folder.
7. Count the number of dots in each circle and record that number on the data table.
8. Calculate the number of dots per square centimeter (cm2)

Key content questions: Write the letter of the correct answer in your answer sheet.
1. What happens to the number of dots per unit area as the distance of the
dots go farther from the center?
A. As seen from the data, the number of dots remains the same and
increases as the dots go farther from the center
B. Based on the data above, the number of dots increases abruptly and
then decreases as the dots go farther from the center
2. Determine the percent probability of finding a dot in each of the circle drawn
on the target by multiplying no. of dots/cm2 (column D) by the total number
of dots (100). For example: In circle 1 (A)
Percent probability = [No. of dots/cm2]x100
= [0.1920/100]x100= 19.20%
Copy Table 1 data table on your answer sheet and fill in what is asked.
3. How many dots are found in the area where there is the highest probability of
finding dots? Answers may vary. Choose the closest value from the data you’ve
gathered.
A. 43
B. 44
C. 45
D. 46
4. How are your results similar to the distribution of electrons in an atom? The
results of the activity are similar to the structure of the atom because the
probability of finding an electron(dot)
A. increases abruptly then decreases as it goes farther from the nucleus
(target)
B. decreases abruptly then increases as it goes farther from the nucleus
(target)
Activity 2. Directions: Write the letter of your choice on your answer sheet.

______1. Based on Table 2, how many types of orbitals are in principal energy level three (3)?
A. There are two types of orbitals (s, and p) in the principal energy level three.
B. There are three types of orbitals (s, p, and d) in the principal energy level three.
______2. How many atomic orbitals are in the highest sublevel of principal energy level three (3)?
A. There are five atomic orbitals in the highest sublevel of the principal energy
level three
B. There are seven atomic orbitals in the highest sublevel of the principal energy
level three
______3. How many electrons can the first energy level hold?
A. 1 B. 2 C. 8 D. 0
______4. The quantum number “n” represents:
A. Spin B. orbital C. sublevel D. energy level
______5. How many orbitals are there in a “p” sublevel?
A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4

______6. What shape are P Orbitals?

A. Cloverleaf shaped B. Dumbbell shaped
C. Hybrid structure D. Spherical shaped
______7. What shape are S Orbitals?
A. Cloverleaf shaped
B. Dumbbell shaped
C. Hybrid structure
D. Spherical shape

III. Assessment

Directions: Read the questions carefully. Write only the letter of your answer on your answer sheet.
1. Which of the following statements is NOT true of the atomic model of
Bohr?
A. The hydrogen is made up of a positively charged nucleus
B. The electron revolves around the nucleus in a circular orbit.
C. The energy of the electron in a given orbit is not fixed.
D. An electron can absorb or emit a quantity of radiation.
2. According to the quantum mechanical model, the orbitals of an atom have particular shape and
direction in space. Which of the following orbitals takes the dumbbell shape?
A. s B. p C. d D. f
3. All orbitals can hold a maximum of how many electrons?
A. 1 B. 2 C. 3 D. 4
4. Wat are the orbitals present in the second principal energy level?
A. s orbital B. s, p orbitals C. s, p, d orbitals D. s, p, d, and f orbitals
5. How many pairs of electrons can a d sublevel hold?
A. 1 B. 3 C. 5 D. 7
 Key Answer
Application
Activity 1
1. B
2.

3. B
4. A
Activity 2
1. B
2. A
3. B
4. D
5. C
6. B
7. D

Assessment
1. C
2. B
3. B
4. B
5. D