Anatomy of the Atom Atomic Structure
Forces in the Nucleus The nucleus is positive (p+ and no) REMEMBER: The nucleus is positive (p+ and no) Like charges repel each other…so shouldn’t the p+ in the nucleus repel each other? But…when 2 p+ are close together in the nucleus there is a strong attraction between them. The same holds true for neutrons.
Atomic Number atomic number - the number of protons in the nucleus of each atom of a given element. The number of p+ identifies the element. Atomic Number increases from left to right on the periodic table.
Electrons The number of electrons in a neutral atom is equal to the number of protons in that atom. e- = p+
# of neutrons = mass number – atomic number mass number - the number of p+ & no in the nucleus of an atom. # of neutrons = mass number – atomic number
Isotope Notation Carbon-12 Nuclear Notation Hyphen Notation Uses the elements symbol followed by a hyphen & the mass number. C-12 Carbon-12
Example: Determine the number of p+, n0, and e- in an atom of Carbon-12.
Changes in the Atom Changing electrons
Electrons The number of electrons in a neutral atom is equal to the number of protons in that atom. e- = p+ Electrons can be lost or gained. This process is called ionization. When electrons are lost or gained, ions are formed.
Ions ion- an atom with a positive or negative charge. cation- an atom with a positive charge Cations are formed when an atom loses negatively charged electrons. Ca+2 is formed when calcium loses 2 electrons. Ca+2 has 2 less electrons than protons. the lithium atom the lithium ion
Ions anion- an atom with a negative charge Anions are formed when an atom gains negatively charged electrons. N-3 is formed when nitrogen gains 3 electrons. N-3 has 3 more electrons than protons.
Metals vs. Nonmetals Metals form cations. Na Na+ + 1e- Nonmetals form anions. Cl + 1 e- Cl-
Changes in the Atom Changing neutrons
Isotopes isotope- two or more atoms having the same atomic number (same #p+) , but different mass numbers (due to different #no). nuclide- general term for a specific isotope of an element.
Isotopes
How many protons, neutrons & electrons are there in the following? Cl-38 35Cl-1 Br-80 32S-2 N-14 56Fe+3
Atomic Mass Determination Average Atomic Mass - the weighted average of atomic masses of the naturally occurring isotopes of an element. The atomic mass is expressed relative to the value of exactly 12u for a carbon-12 atom. Atomic Mass Unit – amu or u
What is a weighted average? Example: Your grade in math might be 75% tests and 25% homework. What would your grade be if you had a test average of 80% and a homework average of 100%? Normally, you would average 80% & 100% to get 90%. However, with a weighted average, it is 85%.
Calculating Average Atomic Mass atomic mass of each isotope X percent natural abundance (in decimal form)
Percent Natural Abundance Percent Natural Abundance- the relative proportions expressed as percentages, in which isotopes of an element are found in nature.
Calculating Average Atomic Mass Ex: Uranium has two isotopes, uranium-235 and uranium-238. Uranium-235 has an atomic mass of 235.043amu and a percent natural abundance of 0.720%. Uranium-238 has an atomic mass of 238.050amu and a percent natural abundance of 99.280%. Calculate the average atomic mass of naturally occurring uranium.