ATOMS AND ATOMIC

STRUCTURE
Atom Nucleus Proton Neutron Electron
 WHAT IS AN ATOM?

o Building block of all

matter.
o The smallest unit of
an element.
 WHAT IS AN ATOM?

o Consists of a central
nucleus surrounded
by one or more
electrons.
WHAT IS THE NUCLEUS?
o The dense, central
part of an atom.
o Composed of
protons and
neutrons.
o Contains most of an
atom's mass.
 WHAT IS A PROTON?

o Positively charged
particle.

o Found within an
atom’s nucleus.
WHAT IS A NEUTRON?

o Uncharged particle.

o Found within an
atom’s nucleus.
WHAT IS AN ELECTRON?

o Negatively
charged particle.

o Located in shells
that surround an
atom's nucleus.
 Subatomic Particles
•
 Subatomic Particles
• Protons and neutrons have essentially the same
mass (1 atomic mass unit).
• The mass of an electron is so small we ignore it.
(1/2000 atomic mass unit).
• Protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus and
account for all the atom’s mass; electrons travel
around the nucleus.
 HELIUM ATOM
Shell
proton

N
+ -
Atoms
+
- N

neutron
electron
 Subatomic Particles
•
 Atomic Structure
Every different atom has a characteristic
number of protons in the nucleus.

atomic number = number of protons

Atoms with the same atomic number

have the same chemical properties and
belong to the same element.
 ATOMIC STRUCTURE

Mass Number
4

He
the number of protons +neutrons in
the nucleus an atom

Atomic number 2
the number of protons

number of electrons = number of protons

 Symbols of Elements

Elements are represented by a one or two letter symbol.

This is the symbol for carbon.
All atoms of the same element have the same number of
protons, which is called the atomic number, Z. It is written
as a subscript BEFORE the symbol.
The mass number is the total number of protons and
neutrons in the nucleus of an atom. It is written as a
superscript BEFORE the symbol.
 Atomic Structure
The sum of protons and neutrons is the atom’s
mass.

Isotopes – atoms of the same element that

have different atomic mass numbers due to
different numbers of neutrons.
Atomic Structure
Two isotopes of sodium.
 Isotopes
• Isotopes are atoms of the same element with
different masses.
• Isotopes have different numbers of neutrons,
but the same number of protons.
 Practice

1 2 3
1H 1H 1H

235 238
92 U 92 U