Atomic Number: o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

An atom is the smallest unit of ordinary matter that forms a chemical element.
Every solid, liquid, gas, and plasma is composed of neutral or ionized atoms. Atoms are extremely

small, typically around 100 picometers across. They are so small that accurately predicting their
behavior using classical physics—as if they were tennis balls, for example—is not possible due
to quantum effects.
Every atom is composed of a nucleus and one or more electrons bound to the nucleus. The nucleus
is made of one or more protons and a number of neutrons. Only the most common variety
of hydrogen has no neutrons. More than 99.94% of an atom's mass is in the nucleus. The protons
have a positive electric charge, the electrons have a negative electric charge, and the neutrons have
no electric charge. If the number of protons and electrons are equal, then the atom is electrically
neutral. If an atom has more or fewer electrons than protons, then it has an overall negative or
positive charge, respectively – such atoms are called ions.
The electrons of an atom are attracted to the protons in an atomic nucleus by the electromagnetic
force. The protons and neutrons in the nucleus are attracted to each other by the nuclear force. This
force is usually stronger than the electromagnetic force that repels the positively charged protons
from one another. Under certain circumstances, the repelling electromagnetic force becomes
stronger than the nuclear force. In this case, the nucleus splits and leaves behind different elements.
This is a form of nuclear decay.
The number of protons in the nucleus is the atomic number and it defines to which chemical element
the atom belongs. For example, any atom that contains 29 protons is copper. The number of
neutrons defines the isotope of the element. Atoms can attach to one or more other atoms
by chemical bonds to form chemical compounds such as molecules or crystals. The ability of atoms
to associate and dissociate is responsible for most of the physical changes observed in
nature. Chemistry is the discipline that studies these changes.
Contents
 1History of atomic theory

o 1.1In philosophy
o 1.2Dalton's law of multiple proportions
o 1.3Kinetic theory of gases
o 1.4Brownian motion
o 1.5Discovery of the electron
o 1.6Discovery of the nucleus
o 1.7Discovery of isotopes
o 1.8Bohr model
o 1.9The Schrödinger model
o 1.10Discovery of the neutron
o 1.11Fission, high-energy physics and condensed matter
 2Structure
o 2.1Subatomic particles
o 2.2Nucleus
o 2.3Electron cloud
 3Properties
o 3.1Nuclear properties
o 3.2Mass
o 3.3Shape and size
o 3.4Radioactive decay
o 3.5Magnetic moment
o 3.6Energy levels
o 3.7Valence and bonding behavior
o 3.8States
 4Identification
 5Origin and current state
o 5.1Formation
o 5.2Earth
o 5.3Rare and theoretical forms
 5.3.1Superheavy elements
 5.3.2Exotic matter
 6See also
 7Notes
 8References
 9Bibliography
 10Further reading
 11External links
History of atomic theory

Main article: Atomic theory
In philosophy
Main article: Atomism
The basic idea that matter is made up of tiny indivisible particles is very old, appearing in many
ancient cultures such as Greece and India. This ancient idea was based in philosophical reasoning
rather than scientific reasoning. The word atom is derived from the Greek word atomos, which
means "uncuttable".[1][2]
Dalton's law of multiple proportions
Atoms and molecules as depicted in John Dalton's A New System of Chemical Philosophy vol. 1 (1808)
In the early 1800s, John Dalton compiled experimental data gathered by himself and other scientists
and discovered a pattern now known as the "law of multiple proportions". He noticed that in chemical
compounds which contain a particular chemical element, the content of that element in these
compounds will differ by ratios of small whole numbers. This pattern suggested to Dalton that each
chemical element combines with others by some basic and consistent unit of mass.
For example, there are two types of tin oxide: one is a black powder that is 88.1% tin and 11.9%
oxygen, and the other is a white powder that is 78.7% tin and 21.3% oxygen. Adjusting these
figures, in the black oxide there is about 13.5 g of oxygen for every 100 g of tin, and in the white
oxide there is about 27 g of oxygen for every 100 g of tin. 13.5 and 27 form a ratio of 1:2, a ratio of
small whole numbers. In these oxides, for every tin atom there are one or two oxygen atoms
respectively (SnO and SnO2).[3][4]
As a second example, Dalton considered two iron oxides: a black powder which is 78.1% iron and
21.9% oxygen, and a red powder which is 70.4% iron and 29.6% oxygen. Adjusting these figures, in
the black oxide there is about 28 g of oxygen for every 100 g of iron, and in the red oxide there is
about 42 g of oxygen for every 100 g of iron. 28 and 42 form a simple ratio of 2:3. In these
respective oxides, for every two atoms of iron, there are two or three atoms of oxygen (Fe2O2 and Fe2O3).
[a][5][6]
As a final example: nitrous oxide is 63.3% nitrogen and 36.7% oxygen, nitric oxide is 44.05%
nitrogen and 55.95% oxygen, and nitrogen dioxide is 29.5% nitrogen and 70.5% oxygen – adjusting
the figures, for every 140 g of nitrogen, there is about 80 g, 160 g, and 320 g of oxygen in these
oxides respectively, which gives a simple ratio of 1:2:4. The respective formulas for these oxides
are N2O, NO, and NO2.[7][8]
Kinetic theory of gases

Main article: Kinetic theory of gases
In the late 18th century, a number of scientists found that they could better explain the behavior of
gases by describing them as collections of sub-microscopic particles and modelling their behavior
using statistics and probability. Unlike Dalton's atomic theory, the kinetic theory of gases describes
not how gases react chemically with each other to form compounds, but how they behave physically:
diffusion, viscosity, conductivity, pressure, etc.

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An atom is the smallest unit of ordinary matter that forms a chemical element.

Every solid, liquid, gas, and plasma is composed of neutral or ionized atoms. Atoms are extremely

 1History of atomic theory

History of atomic theory

Dalton's law of multiple proportions

Kinetic theory of gases

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