Chapter - 3 Atomic Structure

1. Atoms contain three types of particle: proton, neutron and electron.

a) State where the protons and neutrons are in an atom.

b) State which type of particle in the atom orbits the nucleus.

c) State which one of the particles has a positive charge.

d) State which two particles have approximately the same mass.

Ans : a) They are found in the nucleus.

b) Electron.

c) Protons.

d) Neutrons and protons.

2. Fluorine atoms have a mass number of 19.

a) Use the Periodic Table to find the atomic number of fluorine.

b) Explain what mass number means.

c) State the number of protons, neutrons and electrons in a fluorine atom.

d) Explain why the number of protons in an atom must always equal the number of electrons.

Ans: a) Atomic number of fluorine is 9.

b) It is the sum of proton number and neutron number.

c) Fluorine atom - 9 protons, 10 neutrons and 9 electrons.

d) The number of protons in an atom are always equal to the electron number because atoms
are electrically neutral. The charge on a proton (+1) is equal but opposite to the charge on an
electron (-1).

3. Work out the number of protons, neutrons & electrons in each of the following atoms :

a) 5626Fe

Ans : 26 protons, 30 neutrons, 26 electrons.

b) 9341Nb
Ans : 41 protons, 52 neutrons, 41 electrons.

c) 23592U

Ans : 92 protons, 143 protons, 92 electrons.

4. Chlorine has two isotopes, chlorine-35 and chlorine-37.

a) Explain what isotopes are.
b) State the numbers of protons, neutrons and electrons in the two isotopes.
Ans : a) Isotopes are different atoms of the same element with same number of protons and
electrons but different number of neutrons.
b) Chlorine - 35 = 17 protons, 18 neutons, 17 electrons.
Chlorine - 37 = 17 protons, 20 neutrons, 17 electrons.

5. Lithium has two naturally occurring isotopes, 6Li (abundance 7%) and 7Li (abundance 93%).
Calculate the relative atomic mass of lithium, giving your answer to 2 decimal places.

Ans : Relative Atomic Mass of lithium = (6 X 7) + (7 X 93) = 6.93

100 100
6. Magnesium has three naturally occurring stable isotopes, 24Mg (abundance 78.99%), 25Mg
(abundance 10.00%) and 26Mg (abundance 11.01%). Calculate the relative atomic mass of
magnesium, giving your answer to 2 decimal places.

Ans : Relative atomic mass of Mg = (24X78.99) + (25x10.00) + (26X11.01)

100
= 24.32
7. Lead has four naturally occurring stable isotopes. Calculate the relative atomic mass of lead
given the data in the table.

Ans : Relative atomic mass of Pb = (204X1.4) + (206X24.1) + (207X22.1) + (208X52.4)

100

= 207.2
8. Iridium has two naturally occurring isotopes, 191Ir and 193Ir.

a) State the number of protons, neutrons and electrons in an 191Ir atom.

b) Explain the difference between the two isotopes.

c) The relative atomic mass of iridium is 192.22. Explain whether a naturally

occurring sample of iridium contains more 191Ir or 193Ir.

Ans : a) 191Ir atom = Protons - 77, Neutrons - 114, Electrons - 77.

b) Different number of neutrons.
c) Iridium has two naturally occuring isotopes 19177Ir and 19377Ir.
Relative atomic mass of Iridium (Ir) is 192.22. This value is closer to the value of 193. So, the %
abundance of 19377Ir is greater than 19177Ir.

9. Use the Periodic Table to explain whether the following statement is true or false.
Considering only the most common isotope of each element, there is only one element that has
more protons than neutrons.

Ans : This statement is true - it only applies to 1 element, hydrogen (1H).