GRADE 7 SCIENCE NOTES Unit 7 - E1 ts and compounds Topic — 7.1 Atoms, 7.2 Atoms & Elements, 7.3 The Periodic Table |. Define the Following: 1. Atoms: An atom is the smallest particle of a substance that can take part ina chemical change. 2. Elements: An element is a substance made up of the same kind of atoms that ‘cannot be separated into simpler substances by physical or chemical means, e.g. Gold, Oxygen and Iron 3. Molecules: Molecules are particles made of two or more atoms joined together. E,g. Oxygen is O,, Hydrogen is H,, Phosphorus is P,, Sulphur is Sy, etc. ll, Answer the following questions: Q1. Is water an element? Explain your answer. ‘Ans. Water is not an element because when electricity was passed through it, it split into the elements hydrogen and oxygen. Q2. What is Chemical symbol? Ans. Chemical symbols are abbreviations or shorthand notations used for elements. Q3. Explain why Scientists use symbols for the elements. Ans. Scientists use symbols for the elements so that they know they are all talking about the same thing. The symbols are internationally agreed. (Q4. Explain why symbols such as Ca and Ne have symbols with two letters, ‘Ans. Elements such as Ca and Ne have symbols with two letters, because there are already other elements with the symbol C and N Q5. Write the chemical symbols of two elements: (i) Which are formed from the first letter of the elements’ name? Ans. N (Nitrogen), C (Carbon), F(Fluorine), © (Oxygen) (any two) (li) Whose names have been taken from the names of the elements in Latin? Ans. K (Kalium), Na (Natrium (iii) Which are formed from the first two letters of the elements’ name? ‘Ans.Ca (Caloium), He (Helium), Al (Aluminium), Si (Silicon) (any two) Q6. Write the correct symbols of the following elements which are written incorrectly. (i) FE (Iron) (i) AL (Aluminium) (ii) NA (sodium) (iv) AR (Argon)