CHAPTER 2: Atoms, Molecules & Ions

CONTENTS 2.1 The Modern View of Atomic Structure

2.2 The Periodic Table

2.3 Molecules and Molecular Compounds

2.4 Ions and Ionic Compounds

2.5 Naming of Compounds

LEARNING • Able to differentiate between ions, molecules, ionic and molecular

OUTCOMES compound.
• Able to name compounds and write their formulas

2.1
The Discovery of Atomic Structure
The Modern View
 By 1850, scientists had begun to accumulate data indicating that atom
of Atomic Structure is composed of smaller particles called subatomic particles.
 Some of the most important experiments that led to the current model
of atomic structure are:

Cathode Rays and Electrons

Radioactivity
Nuclear Atom

 Atom consists of positive (proton), negative (electron) and neutral

entities (neutron).
 Protons and neutrons are located in the nucleus of the atom (nucleus
is the center of an atom). Most of the mass of the atom is due to the
nucleus.
 Electrons are located outside of the nucleus. Most of the volume of
the atom is due to electrons.
 Masses of neutron, proton and electron are so small, that we define
as the atomic mass unit, amu.

 Comparison of the proton, neutron and electron

 Atoms are extremely small, diameters between 1  10-10 m and

5  10-10 m or 100-500 pm.
 Define 1Å = 1  10-10 m
Note: 1Å = 10-10 m = 100 pm = 0.1 nm

 The diameter of atomic nuclei are in the order of 10-4 Å.

2.2.1  All atoms of the same element have the same number of protons.
Isotopes, A
 The general symbol for an isotope: X
Atomic Z
Numbers and X = element
Mass Numbers A = mass number
= no. of protons(Z) + no. of neutrons (N)
Z = atomic number = no. of protons = no. of electrons for neutral
element only.

 The number of neutrons = A - Z.

 All atoms of the same element have the same number of
protons/atomic number, Z.
 Atoms that have the same number of protons but differ in their
number of neutrons are called isotopes.
 Isotopes have the same Z but different A.

 Some of the isotopes of Carbon:

 An atom of a specific isotope is called a nuclide.

2.2  Lists elements in order of increasing atomic number (at the moment
there are 118 elements).
The Periodic Table
 Helps in organizing trends in the chemical and physical properties of
elements.
 Columns are called groups (numbered from 1 to 8 and either the letter
A or B).
 The eight A-groups are the main group elements.
 The ten B-groups contain transition elements.
 Rows are called periods.
 Metals are on the left side and middle.
 Non-metals are on the right side.
 Metalloids have properties of both metals and nonmetals.
(B, Si, Ge, As, Sb and Te)
 Elements in vertical columns (groups) exhibit similar chemical and
physical properties, whereas elements in a horizontal row (period)
exhibit different properties.
2.3  Most matter is composed of molecules or ions.
Molecules &  A molecule is a small particle consisting of two or more atoms combined
Molecular together in a discrete unit.
Compounds  Molecules typically consist of nonmetallic elements.
 Chemical formula indicates:
o which atoms are found in the molecules.
o in what proportion they are found.

2.3.1
 Any molecules made up of two atoms are called diatomic molecules.
Molecules
 There are seven elements that form homonuclear diatomic molecules:
o N2, H2, O2, F2, Cl2, Br2 and I2

2.3.2
 Compounds formed from molecules are molecular compounds.
Molecular
Compounds  Contain more than one type of atom.
 Example: a molecule of water represented by the chemical formula
H2O.

2.3.3
 Chemical formulas that give the actual numbers and types of atoms in
Molecular a molecule are called molecular formulas.
Formula  Subscripts in a molecular formula tell you how many atoms are
actually present.
 E.g. C2H4: 2 atoms of carbon, 4 atoms of hydrogen.

2.3.4
 Chemical formulas that give only the relative number of atoms of each
Empirical
type in a molecule.
Formula
 Example: Molecular formula for hydrogen peroxide is H2O2, its
empirical formula is HO.
 They give the lowest whole number ratio of atoms in a molecule.
 Example: C2H4 is a molecular formula; its empirical formula, CH2, is
obtained by dividing the subscripts in the molecular formula by 2.

C2/2H4/2 = CH2
2.3.5  Molecules occupy three-dimensional space.
Picturing  We often represent them in 2-D.
Molecules
Structural formula shows “how atoms are joined together” that is the
relative orientation and position of bonded atoms.

Structural formula does not show the actual geometry of the molecule

 Various models are used to visualize the 3-D shape of the molecule:
perspective drawing, ball and stick model or space-filling model.
2.4
Ions & Ionic  If electrons are removed or added to a neutral atom, a charged particle
Compound called an ion is formed.

- Ion with positive charge is called cation.

- Ion with negative charge is called anion.

 In general, metal atoms tend to lose electrons and non-metal atoms gain
electrons.
 When molecules lose or gain electrons, polyatomic ions are formed
(e.g. SO42-, NO3-).
 2.4.1
 An atom or molecules can lose more than one electron.
Predicting Ionic
Charges  Many atoms gain or lose enough electrons to have the same number of
electrons as the nearest noble gas.
 Member of the noble gas are chemically very non-reactive (stable).
 Example: Loss of one electron from an atom of sodium leaves it with
the same number of electrons as the neon atom.

 The number of electrons an atom loses is related to its position on the

periodic table.

2.4.2
 Majority of chemistry involves the transfer of electrons between
Ionic
species.
Compounds
 Example: To form NaCl, the neutral sodium atom, Na, must lose an
electron to become a cation: Na+
 Electron cannot be lost entirely so it is transferred to a chlorine atom,
Cl-, which then become an anion: Cl-
 Na+ and Cl- ions are attracted to form an ionic NaCl lattice which
crystallizes.

2.4.3
Ionic Compounds  Ionic compounds are generally combinations of metal ions (positively
vs Molecular charged) and non-metal ions (negatively charged).
e.g NaCl; BaCl2
Compounds
 We cannot use molecular formulas to describe ionic compounds,
therefore we write empirical formula.
e.g CH4; C2H6
 Molecular compounds are non-metals only.
2.5
Naming of
Compound  Naming of compounds, nomenclature is divided into organic compounds
and inorganic compounds.
2.5.1 - Organic compounds - those containing carbon in combination with
hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur.
Names &
Formulas of Ionic - Other compounds are called inorganic compounds.
Compounds
2.5.2
Names &
Formulas for
Cations

2.5.3
Names &
Formulas for
Anions
2.5.4
Ionic Compounds

2.5.5
Names &
Formulas of Acid

2.5.6
Names &
Formulas of
Binary Molecular
Compounds
2.5.7
Hydrates