ATOMS, ELEMENTS and

COMPOUNDS
Introduction to ‘Atoms’ – BASIC IDEAS
• Everything is made from atoms including you. Atoms are tiny
particles that are far too small to see, even with a microscope.
• Atoms are the basic building blocks of matter.
• The diameter of an atom ranges from about 0.1 to 0.5 nanometres.
Atoms can be modelled as ‘circles’…
Elements
• Not all atoms are the same……a substance made up of one type of
atom only is known as an ELEMENT.
• There are approximately 100 elements.
• Elements are categorized on THE PERIODIC TABLE.
• Elements are classified as either METALS, METALLOIDS or NON-
METALS.
A B C
Element Symbols…….examples
Element examples – single atom
Element examples – multi-atom (molecule)
Elements can be classified as either: Metals,
Non-Metals or Metalloids
General Physical Typical Metal Typical Non-metal
Property
Appearance Shiny (lustrous) Dull
State at room Solid (except About half are
temperature mercury, which is a solids, about half
liquid) are gases, and one
(bromine) is a liquid
Density High (they feel Low (they feel light
heavy for their size) for their size)
Strength Strong Weak
Malleable or brittle Malleable (they Brittle (they break
bend without or shatter when
breaking) hammered)
Conduction of heat Good Poor (they are
insulators)
Conduction of Good Poor (they are
electricity insulators, apart
from graphite)
Sound when hit They make a ringing They make a dull
sound (they are sound
Metals, Non-Metals and Metalloids
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdajjpfwZEM
Mixtures
• A mixture is made from elements and compounds that are simply
mixed together, without chemical bonds between each component of
the mixture.
• Mixture can be described as ‘impure’ substances.
• Mixtures can usually be separated by physical techniques such
as filtration (filtering) and distillation.
• We will learn more about these physical techniques in our next unit
(‘Experimental Techniques’).
Example: Air is a mixture that contains the elements Nitrogen,
Oxygen and Argon, and also the compound Carbon dioxide.

Simple particle diagram of ‘Air’:

What other everyday mixtures can you think
of? What are they made of? [5 mins]
(1) Which particle picture represents a mixture of two compounds? ____
(2) Which particle picture represents a pure compound? ____
(3) Which particle picture represents a mixture of an element and a
compound? ____
(4) Which particle picture represents a pure element? ____
(5) Which particle picture represents a mixture of two elements? ____
(6) Which particle picture could represent pure water? ____
(7) Which particle picture could represent something dissolved in water? ____
Mixtures involving DISSOLVING
Define the terms: solvent, solute, solution and concentration.
• Solvent:
• Solute:
• Solution:
• Concentration:
Term Meaning Example

Solvent the liquid in which a solute dissolves the water in sea water

Solute the substance that dissolves in a the salt in sea water

liquid to form a solution

Solution is the mixture formed when a solute sea water

has dissolved in a solvent

Soluble describes a substance that will salt is soluble in water

dissolve

Insoluble describes a substance that will not sand is insoluble in water

dissolve
Not everything is soluble in water…….
• Water is a very important solvent but it's not the only one. Acetone is
used to remove nail polish, turpentine to dissolve oil paints and good
perfumes are solutions of the fragrance dissolved in ethanol. Dry
cleaning fluid is an organic solvent used to clean clothes which would
be damaged by detergent and water.
 Exploring Solutions and Concentrations –
Practical Tasks
• Task 1:
• Measure out a small volume of rose vinegar in a beaker. Slowly add water, part by part and stir each time.
• What happens to the colour of the solution? What is the name given to adding more solvent (water) to a solution?
Explain why this occurs?
• Task 2:
• Prepare 25 cm3 of a solution 0.1g/cm3 sugar or salt solution.
• Add water to make up to 50cm3 …..what is the new concentration?
• Make up to 80cm3 ……what is the new concentration?
• Task 3:
• Measure out 20cm3 of room temperature water. Add sugar, one spatula at a time until no more sugar will
dissolve. Add another half a spatula (approximately). What type of solution have you produced?
• Heat the solution to 90-100 °C. What happens to the undissolved solute?
• Allow the solution to slowly cool back to room temperature. What do you observe? Explain why.
Concentration of Solutions
• https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/concentration

• What conclusions can you make about factors (variables) that affect
the concentration of a solution?

• What is a ‘Saturated Solution’?

INTRODUCTION TO ATOMIC STRUCTURE
• The model we use for the structure of the atom is based on
EVIDENCE.
• How do Scientists collect evidence?

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Dy_4DPke9c
TASK
Choose words from the list to complete the sentences below:
electrons, ions, neutrons, protons

In an atom, the particles with a negative charge are called

....................................
Particles in the nucleus with no charge are called
.....................................................
An atom has no overall charge because is has the same number of
electrons and .............................
Isotopes 同位素 동위 원소
• Atoms of an element that have the same number of protons, but different numbers
of neutrons in their nuclei are called isotopes. Isotopes of an element have:
• the same atomic number
• different mass numbers

Isotopes are naturally occurring variations in nuclear structure (numbers of

neutrons) of some elements.

Isotopes of the same element have identical chemical properties. This

is because the number of electrons determines chemical properties,
and all isotopes of the same element have the same number of
electrons electron in their atoms.
Isotopes of Hydrogen
• All hydrogen atoms contain one proton (and one electron), but they
can contain different numbers of neutrons. Hydrogen-1 is the
most abundant isotope of Hydrogen (99.98% of Hydrogen is
Hydrogen-1).
Isotope Symbol Protons Neutrons Electrons

Hydrogen-1 1 1-1=0 1

Hydrogen-2 1 2-1=1 1

Hydrogen-3 1 3-1=2 1
Isotopes of
Carbon
 Isotopes of chlorine

Isotope protons electrons neutrons

17 17 35 - 17 = 18

17 17 37 - 17 = 20
Ions
Aim: To be able to describe the formation of ions by electron loss or
electron gain.

Ions are electrically charged particles formed when atoms lose or

gain electrons.
This can happen during some chemical reactions.
This loss or gain of electrons leaves a full outer electron shell.
Metal atoms lose the electron, or electrons, in their outer
electron shell and become positively charged ions (Cations).
Non-metal atoms gain an electron, or electrons, from another
atom to become negatively charged ions (Anions).