Title: Atomic Structure Date: 21/02/2023
LO: What is the structure of an atom?
Do Now:
Brainstorming! Talk to the people on your table about
the following prompts and write down the answers in
your books.
1) What is an atom?
2) Where are atoms found?
3) What are atoms made of?
4) How heavy are atoms?
5) Can we touch atoms?
Keywords: atoms, sub-atomic particles, protons, neutrons, electrons, atomic model
Homework:
Learning Objectives:
I can understand the structure of an atom in terms of the positions
of sub-atomic particles, and the relative charges of protons,
neutrons and electrons.
I can understand Dalton’s atomic model.
I can understand and use the terms atomic (proton)
number and mass number.
I can understand different methods of
separation, including filtration and evaporation.
Review
Task: Self assess your answers to the Filtration & Evaporation Homework
using a different color pen.
I can understand the structure of an atom in terms of the
positions of sub-atomic particles, and the relative charges
Atoms
of protons, neutrons and electrons.
Reminder: An atom is the smallest part of any substance.
Task: Watch the video and answer the questions below in your books.
1. What are the sub-atomic particles that make up an atom?
Electrons, protons and neutrons
2. What determines what element an atom is?
The number of protons
3. What is the overall charge of an atom?
Zero (neutral)
I can understand the structure of an atom in terms of the
positions of sub-atomic particles, and the relative charges
Atomic structure of protons, neutrons and electrons.
Atoms are made from
smaller particles called:
• Protons +
• Neutrons
• Electrons - Task: Complete the grid as we go through
each type of sub-atomic particle.
I can understand the structure of an atom in terms of the
positions of sub-atomic particles, and the relative charges
Protons
of protons, neutrons and electrons.
+
• Protons have a relative mass of 1.
• Protons have a positive electrical
charge of +1. -
• Protons are found in the nucleus
of the atom. +
+
Nucleus
Proton
Contains protons and neutrons
-
I can understand the structure of an atom in terms of the
positions of sub-atomic particles, and the relative charges
Neutrons
of protons, neutrons and electrons.
• Neutrons have a relative mass of 1.
• Neutrons have no electrical charge,
their charge is 0. -
• Neutrons are found in the nucleus
of the atom, along with the
protons. +
+ Neutron
Nucleus
Contains protons and neutrons
-
I can understand the structure of an atom in terms of the
positions of sub-atomic particles, and the relative charges
Electrons
-
of protons, neutrons and electrons.
• Electrons have a very small relative Electron
mass (almost 0).
• Electrons have a negative electrical -
charge of –1.
• Electrons are found in energy levels +
+
(shells) that surround the nucleus of
the atom.
1st energy level
also known as shell -
Atomic structure Task: Self assess and glue the grid in your books.
Labelled Diagram of The Atomic Structure Subatomic Particle Name Relative Mass Electrical Charge
Nucleus
Proton Contains protons & neutrons
Proton 1 +1
-
+ Neutron 1 0
+
Energy
Electron Very small
-1
Neutron - level /shell
Electron
(almost 0)
I can understand Dalton’s atomic model.
Dalton’s atomic model
• John Dalton was an English
scientist.
• He was the first to come up
with the idea that all matter is
made of atoms.
• He also discovered that all
atoms of one element are
identical in mass and
properties.
I can understand Dalton’s atomic model.
Dalton’s atomic model
• His idea of the structure of an
atom was very different from
what we know today.
• Dalton’s atomic model, also
known as the billiard ball model,
was the idea that an atom has a
ball-like structure.
• The concepts of sub-atomic
particles were unknown at the
time.
I can understand Dalton’s atomic model.
Dalton’s atomic model
Although there were limitations to his model, it was only after it was
proposed that other atomic models came into existence.
Task: Look at your Periodic Table. I can understand and use the terms atomic
How are the elements on it arranged? (proton) number and mass number.
I can understand and use the terms atomic
(proton) number and mass number.
Atomic number & Mass number
Lithium looks like this on the periodic table:
This is the mass number. The
mass number of an atom is
the total number of protons 7 We know that ‘Li’
Li
and neutrons in the nucleus. is the chemical
symbol for lithium,
This is the atomic number. but what do those
The atomic number tells us 3 numbers mean?
how many protons are in
the nucleus. No other
element has the same
atomic number as lithium.
I can understand and use the terms atomic
(proton) number and mass number.
Atomic (proton) number
• The atomic number is always
the smaller number of the two
23
shown in the Periodic Table.
• The atomic number tells us
the number of protons in an
atom of an element.
11
• All atoms of a
given element have the
The atomic number of sodium is 11.
same number of protons.
This means an atom of sodium has
• Atoms of different elements 11 protons in its nucleus.
have different numbers of
I can understand and use the terms atomic
(proton) number and mass number.
MWB Check
Task: Find the atomic (proton) number of the following
elements from your Periodic Table.
1) Oxygen (O)8
2) Nitrogen (N)7
1
3) Hydrogen (H)
4) Carbon (C)
6
20
5) Calcium (Ca)
10
6) Neon (Ne)
I can understand and use the terms atomic
(proton) number and mass number.
Mass number
• The mass number (or atomic mass)
is always the bigger number of the 23
two shown in the Periodic Table.
• The mass number of an atom is its
total number of protons and
neutrons.
11
• Extension: How can you calculate
the number of neutrons in an
The mass number of sodium is 23.
atom?
This means an atom of sodium has
23 protons and neutrons in total.
I can understand and use the terms atomic
(proton) number and mass number.
MWB Check
Task: Find the mass number of the following elements from
your Periodic Table.
1) Oxygen (O)
16
2) Nitrogen (N)14
1
3) Hydrogen (H)
4) Carbon (C)
12
40
5) Calcium (Ca)
20
6) Neon (Ne)
I can understand and use the terms atomic
(proton) number and mass number.
Calculating numbers of
sub-atomic particles
23
To calculate the number of protons
and neutrons, use the atomic
number and mass number of an
element:
Task: Calculate the number of 11 11
protons and the23number
– 11 =of
12neutrons protons
in the nucleus neutrons
of an atom of sodium
(Na).
• Number of protons = Atomic number
• Number of neutrons = Mass number – Atomic
number
I can understand and use the terms atomic
(proton) number and mass number.
Calculating numbers of
sub-atomic particles 2 protons
= 2 x (+1)
Remember, atoms have no electrical = +2
charge overall. They are neutral.
This is because, in atoms,
-
the number of electrons is
equal to the number of +
protons.
+2 –2 = 0
2 electrons
= 2 x (-1)
+
= -2
-
I can understand and use the terms atomic
(proton) number and mass number.
Calculating numbers of
sub-atomic particles
23
Therefore:
• Number of electrons =
K
Atomic number 11 39
Task: Calculate the number of
electrons in an atom of sodium
(Na). 11
electrons
Extension: Calculate the number of protons,
electrons and neutrons in an atom of
potassium (K).
19 protons, 19 electrons, 20
19
neutrons
I can understand and use the terms atomic
(proton) number and mass number.
Calculating numbers of
sub-atomic particles
Task: How many protons, electrons and neutrons do the atoms of these
elements have? Use your Periodic Table.
1) He 2 p, 2 e, 2 n 5) Mg 12 p, 12 e, 12 n
2) Be 4 p, 4 e, 5 n 6) C 6 p, 6 e, 6 n
3) O 8 p, 8 e, 8 n 7) S 16 p, 16 e, 16 n
4) F 9 p, 9 e, 10 n 8) P 15 p, 15 e, 16 n
I can understand and use the terms atomic
(proton) number and mass number.
Calculating numbers of
sub-atomic particles
Homework: Complete the
worksheet for tomorrow.
Note that the mass number is
referred to as the atomic mass
in this worksheet.
Have we met our learning objectives?
I can understand the structure of an atom in terms of the positions
of sub-atomic particles, and the relative charges of protons,
neutrons and electrons.
I can understand Dalton’s atomic model.
I can understand and use the terms atomic (proton)
number and mass number.
