CHAPTER 1: ATOMIC STRUCTURE

1.1 Particles in the atom and atomic

radius……………………………………………………………

1. Understand that atoms are mostly empty space surrounding a very small, dense
nucleus that contains protons and neutrons; electrons are found in shells in the
empty space around the nucleus.

● Atoms are made of protons, neutrons and electrons.

● The nucleus is made up of particles called nucleons.
● There are two types of nucleon : protons and neutrons.
● The protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus of the atom while the electrons
surround the nucleus.
● As protons and neutrons have much larger mass than electrons, almost all the mass of
an atom is concentrated in the nucleus.
● Electrons move around in regions of space called orbitals.

2. Identify and describe protons, neutrons and electrons in terms of their relative
charges and relative masses.

Subatomic Symbol Relative Relative Location in

particle Mass Charge the atoms

Electron e 1/1836 -1 In Orbits around

the nucleus

Neutron n 1 0 In the nucleus

Proton p 1 +1 In the nucleus

3. Understand the terms atomic and proton number; mass and nucleon number.

● Atomic number: The proton number (Z).

● Nucleon number/ Mass number: The total number of protons and neutrons in an atom
(A).
● Neutrons: It is found by subtracting the proton number from the nucleon number (A-Z).

4. Describe the distribution of mass and charge within an atom.

● Positively charged Nucleus contains most of the mass, surrounded by atomic shells with
orbiting electrons of negative charge and negligible mass.

5. Describe the behaviour of beams of protons, neutrons and electrons moving at the
same velocity in an electric field.

● Protons are positively charged and so would be deflected on a curving path towards the
negative plate.
● Electrons are negatively charged and so would be deflected on a curving path towards the
positive plate.
● Neutrons don't have a charge, so they continue in a straight line.

NOTE: When the electrons and protons are travelling with the same speed, then the lighter
electrons are deflected far more strongly than the heavier protons.
6. Determine the numbers of protons, neutrons and electrons present in both atoms and
ions given atomic or proton number, mass or nucleon number and charge.

How many protons, neutrons and electrons are in a calcium atom?

● Atomic number is 20, so there are 20 protons.

● A calcium atom is neutral so the number of protons = the number of electrons = 20.

● Mass number is ≈ 40. SInce there are 20 protons, the number of neutrons = 40-20 = 20.

How many protons, neutrons and electrons are in a calcium ion?

● Atomic number is 20, so there are 20 protons.

● The number of electrons = 20- 2= 18.

● Mass number is ≈ 40. SInce there are 20 protons, the number of neutrons = 40-20 = 20.
7. State and explain qualitatively the variations in atomic radius and ionic radius across a
period and down a group.

ATOMIC RADIUS:

Atomic radius across a period:

● Decreases across a period, with increasing proton number.

● Decrease in radius due to increase in nuclear charge, such that the outer electrons are more
strongly attracted to the nucleus.
● The decrease in radius becomes smaller with increasing proton number because of
increased repulsion between electrons in the outer shell.

Atomic radius down a group:

● Down a group, the number of energy levels (n) increases, so there is a greater distance

between the nucleus and the outermost orbital. This results in a larger atomic radius.

● Reason: Adding up extra layers of electrons.

IONIC RADIUS:

Ionic radius across a period:

● Ionic radii decreases across a period.

● Metal cations lose electrons, causing the overall radius of an ion to decrease.

● Non-metal cations gain electrons, causing the overall radius of an ion to decrease.

Ionic radius down a group:

● The outermost electrons are further away from the positively charged nucleus and are

therefore held only weakly to the nucleus which increases the ionic radius.

● The greater the negative charge, the larger the ionic radius.

● Positively charged ions are formed by atoms losing electrons.