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An atom is composed of a nucleus containing protons and neutrons, with electrons moving in a cloud around it. The atomic number is defined by the number of protons, while the mass number is the sum of protons and neutrons. Electrons determine an atom's chemical properties and are equal in number to protons in neutral atoms.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
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An atom is composed of a nucleus containing protons and neutrons, with electrons moving in a cloud around it. The atomic number is defined by the number of protons, while the mass number is the sum of protons and neutrons. Electrons determine an atom's chemical properties and are equal in number to protons in neutral atoms.
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mona safwatCopyright
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WHAT IS AN ATOM MADE OF?
• An atom consists of a central region called the nucleus, around
which a cloud of electrons is moving rapidly. The size of the
electron cloud is extremely large compared to the size of the
nucleus.
• Protons and neutrons are both known as the Nucleons. They are
two huge and massive particles that form the nucleus.
• Protons, neutrons and electrons are all known as Subatomic
Particles, because they are the particles that compose an atom.
THE ATOM
SUBATOMIC PARTICLES
Protons Neutrons Electrons
Location nucleus nucleus Electron shells or energy levels
Charge + 0 or neutral
Mass 1 amu 1 amu 0.0005 amu
Importance Defines the Defines the isotope. Determines the chemical
element. properties.
Both protons and neutrons together define the mass number of an atom.
PROTONS
Protons are heavy and positively-charged subatomic particles that
reside the nucleus of an atom.
Number of protons in the nucleus determines the identity of an atom.
THE ATOMIC NUMBER
A scientist named “ Henry
Moseley “ discovered that
each element has a
characteristic number of
protons in its nucleus.
(i.e. No. of protons identifies
the atom)
Hence, called “ The Atomic
Number “
EXAMPLES
𝟏 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒐𝒏 = 𝑯𝒚𝒅𝒓𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒎
𝟐 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒔 = 𝑯𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒖𝒎 𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒎
𝟑 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒔 = 𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒖𝒎 𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒎
NEUTRONS
Neutron is a heavy subatomic particle inside the nucleus of an atom
that has the same mass as a proton but with no electric charge.
NEUTRONS (CONT.)
Number of neutrons does not affect the identity of an element,
therefore they might change from one atom to another.
For example, both atoms below are lithium atoms because they have the same
number of protons. However, they have different number of neutrons.
THE MASS NUMBER
Neutrons add to the mass of the atom because
they are heavy particles.
The number of neutrons added to the number of
protons is known as the Mass Number
The mass number of any atom is equal to the number of
the particles in its nucleus.
ELECTRONS
Electrons are tiny, negatively-charged and extremely light
particles that move around the nucleus in defined spaces known
as the Electron Shells (or energy levels).
Number of electrons in an
atom defines its chemical
properties, which means it
determines its reactivity with
other atoms.
For example, an atom that has 2 electrons is very stable (unreactive),
while an atom that has 3 electrons is extremely reactive.
ELECTRONS (CONT.)
Number of electrons in unreacted atoms is always equal to its
number of protons.
For example, the number of electrons in the
atom shown in the figure is equal to the
number of protons in the nucleus.
That’s why unreacted atoms are always neutral (has an
overall charge equal zero), because its number of protons is
equal to the electrons.
SUMMARY
Atomic number = number of protons in an atom.
• Also, equal to number of electrons in neutral unreacted atoms.
Mass number = protons + neutrons
• This number is equal to the mass of
an atom in amu’s.
ATOMIC & MASS NUMBERS EXERCISE
Answer each of the following:
1. An atom has an atomic no. 19 and a mass number of 39 . What is
the amount of protons, neutrons and electrons in this atom?
2. An atom has 5 protons and 6 neutrons. What is its atomic and
mass numbers?
3. Number of electrons in a neutral atom is 33. Its mass number is
75. What is the no. of neutrons in this atom?
4. If the number of protons in aluminum is 13. What is the number of
neutrons in an atom of aluminum-27?