Atoms and the Periodic Table

What is an Atom? The atom is the smallest particle of an element that retains the chemical properties of that element Atoms are the basic building blocks of ordinary matter. Atoms can join together to form molecules (which it turn form most of the objects around you.

What makes up an atom? Atoms are composed of particles called: Protons Electrons Neutrons Protons carry a positive electrical charge, electrons carry a negative electrical charge and neutrons carry no electrical charge at all.

Where are protons, electrons and neutrons? The protons and neutrons cluster together in the central part of the atom, called the nucleus, and the electrons 'orbit' the nucleus. A particular atom will have the same number of protons and electrons and most atoms have at least as many neutrons as protons

Parts of the Atom Protons= Positive Charge Neutrons = No Charge Electrons=Negative Charge Nucleus= both protons and neutrons with a positive charge

Is there anything smaller than an atom? Yes It is called a quark.

The Nucleus Nucleus= protons + neutrons The nucleus only occupies a fraction of the atom It contains almost all the mass an atom has

Periodic Table

Check out this Periodic table Interactive Periodic Table

Periodic Table Elements are organized by increasing atomic number (in other words, increase the number of protons in the nucleus) Periodic table is organized by: Groups Periods

Periodic Table Groups: Vertical Columns Organized by similar properties Have same number of electrons in outer energy levels Each level can have a maximum number of electrons Each row ends when an other energy level is filled Periods: Horizontal rows Organized by increasing number of protons and neutrons Classified as metals, nonmetals, and metalloids

Families Alkali Metals

Families Alkaline Earth Metals

Families Transition Metals

Families Halogens

Families Nobel Gases

How to read the periodic table