ATOMS

What are ATOMS?

Everything in the world is made up of matter. SCIENTIST HAVE

DISCOVERED THAT ALL matter IS MADE OF VERY, VERY SMALL
PARTICLES CALLED atoms, which are like building blocks that
can build anything.

The differences in the state of matter are due to the different

types of atoms, their arrangement, how they move and how
closely they are packed

demonstration
How small are atoms?

They are very very small. the word ‘atom’ is from the Greek work
“atomos” which means “cannot be cut apart”.
Everything that exists can be broken until we will have the
smallest part which cannot be divided into smaller pieces, these
tiny particles are the ATOMS

demonstration
Is there more than one type of atom?

There are many different types of atoms (more than

100) and many of these atoms have been found
naturally occurring on earth.

Atoms are the building blocks of life!

 Parts of an atom
Everything is made of atoms, but what are atoms made
of?

An atom has 3 main parts: PROTONS, NEUTRONS and

ELECTRONS

PROTONS and NEUTRONS stay together at the centre of

the atom and together they form the NUCLEUS.
Electrons move around the nucleus.

Normally there is the same number of electrons as protons

Draw some specific atoms using the following information:

1. A hydrogen atom as 1 proton, 1 electron and no neutrons
2. A carbon atom has 6 protons, 6 electrons, and 6 neutrons
3. A nitrogen atom has 7 protons, 7 electrons and 7 neutrons
If we could see inside the tip of a pencil at an atomic level,
we would see that the atoms (carbon, in this case) are
vibrating in place, as atoms in a solid move.

Each individual atom is spherical and seems to have “fuzzy”

edges. Let’s see closer

This is the PROTON ( )and is

at the centre, the nucleus. The
number of protons is called
ATOMIC NUMBER
This is the NETRON ( )and is
also in the nucleus.

The ELECTRON is the smallest part

of the atom and give the atom the
“fuzzy” edge, because they are in
constant motion around the
nucleus.
Make a model of an atom
 The periodic table of elements

Anything made of just one kind of atom is called an ELEMENT.

Scientists have found all of the different kinds of elements in the
world, and they have written them down in something called the
Periodic Table of the elements.
All the elements are symbolized by 1 or 2 letters

This is HYDROGEN. It is the

most common element in the
universe. It also the smallest
and simplest. It is the first
element of the table, so it’s
atomic number is 1. at room
temperature it is a GAS

When 2 HYDROGEN atoms

bond, they share electrons
and stay stuck to each other.
HYDROGEN has only It is like they are holding
1 ELECTRON hands.
This is OXYGEN. It has a bigger number than hydrogen. Its
number is 8.
It likes to bond with other oxygen atoms to make 02 (oxygen
gas) , which is part of the air we breathe.
 Molecules

Look on the periodic table for the symbol of WATER

Can’t find it? WHY?

Because water is not an atom.

Water, like everything in the world, is made of atoms, but not all
the same type of atoms

When atoms bond to other atoms they make new things called
MOLECULES

Most of the things in the Universe are made of molecules that

are made up of different combinations of atoms
Water is made of 2 HYDROGEN atoms and 1 OXYGEN atom,
which bond together to form a WATER MOLECULE

demonstration Make models of

molecules
MOLECULES IN MOTION

Molecules move all the time, but when they are cold they are
sluggish and don't like to move much

Hot molecules, instead, move around very quickly. As

molecules start moving around more quickly, they spread
apart, and pretty soon they just shoot off into the air by
themselves and become a gas (remember, EVAPORATION?)

demonstration

The motion of molecules in a liquid

Chemical reactions

Chemical reactions happen when atoms and molecules react with

each other and as a result they form new arrangements

Quick review:

- All things are made of matter

- Matter takes up space
- Matter is made of atoms
- The state of matter are a result of the arrangement and
movement of atoms
- Increasing the temperature (energy) increases the
movement of atoms and molecules
- Atoms are very small
- There are many kind of atoms (periodic table of elements)
- Oxygen and hydrogen are common and very important
elements
- Atoms bond to make molecules
- Water is a H2O molecule

The study of how atoms and molecules react with each other is
called CHEMISTRY
When hydrogen and oxygen bond together, they form a
CHEMICAL REACTION, they form new molecules

demonstration Blow up a balloon with a chemical

reaction