Atomic Structure

First year diploma

By. P.S.Gawari
 Introduction
• Atom –
Definition – The smallest indivisible particle of an element is called as an atom.
Atom is the basic building block of all substances in nature.
Electron (e), proton (n) & neutron (n) are Fundamental particles of atom
• Atom consists of
1. Nucleus - It is positively charged central part & consist of Protons & neutrons. Positive
charge is due to presence of protons. Neutrons have no charge i.e. Neutral
2. Extranuclear part – It consist of electrons which revolves around the nucleus in the closed
concentric circular path called orbit or shell. Electrons are negatively charged.
The no of protons in the nucleus is exactly equal to the no of electrons in extra – nuclear
part. All positive charge is thus exactly canceled out by all the negative charge present on an
atom. Hence, the atom as a whole is electrically neutral.
• Atomic number (Z)- The atomic number or proton number (symbol Z) of a chemical element
is the number of protons found in the nucleus of every atom of that element.
Atomic number (Z) = number of protons (p) = no of electrons (e).
• Atomic mass number (A) - The mass number (represented by the letter A) is defined as the
total number of protons and neutrons in an atom.
Atomic mass number (A) = number of protons (p) + number of neutrons (n)
Examples of Isotopes –
1 H 1
1 H 2
1 H 3
17 Cl 35
17 Cl 37

P = 1 1 1 17 17

n= 0 1 2 18 20

Examples of Isotopes –
18 Ar40 19 K40 20 Ca40
 Bohr’s Theory of Atom

Postulates or Assumptions –
1. Atom consist of dense positively charged central part called nucleus, which is at
rest.
2. Electrons revolved around the nucleus in fixed circular path called orbits or shells.
3. Electrostatic force of attraction between the nucleus and electrons is exactly
balanced by the centrifugal force. Hence the electrons does not fall into the
nucleus and atom remains stable.
4. Each orbit round the nucleus is associated with a definite amount of energy and
the orbital's are called energy levels or main energy shells. They are numbered as
1,2,3,….Starting from the nucleus and are designated by capital letters K,L,M,….
Respectively
 Bohr’s Theory of Atom
Postulates or Assumptions –

5. The energy associated with certain energy level, increases with the increase of its
distance from the nucleus.
6. While revolving round the nucleus in a fixed orbit, the electron neither loss nor
gains the energy and is said to be in a stationary state.
7. However, an excited electron can jump from a lower energy level to higher level by
absorbing energy while from higher to lower level by releasing energy in a separate
packets called quanta (Photon).
 Electronic Configuration
1. Aufbau principle –
i. Aufbau principle gives the sequence in which various orbitals are filled with electrons.
ii. Definition – In an atom, the orbitals are filled with electrons in order of the increasing
energy.
iii. The lower energy orbitals are filled first , then higher energy orbitals are filled. The order
of filling of the electrons in different orbitals in an atom is:
1S<2S<2p<3S<3p<4s<3d<4p<5s<4d<5p<6s<4f<5d< and so on……
 Electronic Configuration
2. Hund’s rule of maximum multiplicity – According to Hund’s rule, ‘When several
orbitals of the same type are available , the electrons first filled all the orbitals
with parallel spin before pairing in any one.
Eg.-

3. Pauli’s exclusive principle –An orbital can hold only two electrons and these
electrons have opposite spins.
 Lewis & Langmuir concept of stable electronic
configuration
Postulates –
1. The electrons present in the outermost orbit of an atom determine the valency of the
Atom & are therefore called valency electrons. If the last orbit is removed, the rest of
the atom is called “Kernel” or core of the atom.
2. Atoms of the elements containing 8 electrons in the outermost shell or orbit (or 2
electrons in the case of helium) are stable. The electronic arrangement in which 8
electrons (octet) or 2 electrons (duplet) are present in the outermost shell of atom is
known as stable configuration.
3. Only those elements having less than 8 electrons in the outermost of their atoms are
capable of chemical combination in such a way so as to acquire the stable configuration
of the nearest inert gas element.
4. The valency of an element may be defined as the number of electrons, its atom can
lose or gain or share so as to complete its octet & becomes stable.

There are three modes of chemical combination –

i. By transfer of electrons, ii. By mutual sharing of electrons, iii. By one sided sharing
of electrons.
 Electrovalency
Definition – The no of electrons that an atom of an element gains or loses so as to
acquire stable electronic configuration is called electrovalency.
The bond formed by complete transfer of one or more electrons from an atom to
another atom, leading to formation of ions which are held together by electrostatic
forces of attraction is called electrovalent bond or ionic bond.

Types of Electrovalency –
1. Positive electrovalency – The valency obtained by the loss of valency electrons
from the atom of metallic elements so as to complete its last shell is called positive
electrovalency.

i) Na  Na  1e ii) Mg  Mg   2e

(2,8,1) (2,8 ) 2,8,2  2,8
2
3  iv) Ca  Ca  2e
iii) Al  Al  3e
(2,8,3 ) 2,8  2,8,8,2  2,8,8
 Electrovalency

2. Negative electrovalency – The valency obtained by the gain of valency electrons

by the atoms of non-metallic elements so as to complete their octet is known as
negative electrovalency.
i) Cl  1e  Cl ii) O  2e  O2
(2,8,7) (2,8,8 ) 2,6  2,8
iii) S  2e  S2 
(2,8,6 ) 2,8,8
 Electrovalency
1. Formation of NaCl molecule –
Sodium chloride is formed by electrovalent bond between an atoms of sodium
and chloride.

Sodium atom with (2,8,1) electronic configuration loses 1 electron and aquires a
positive charge i.e. Na+ which has a stable configuration i.e. (2,8)Chlorine atom
-
gains that 1 electron and aquires a negative charge i.e. Cl with stable configuration
(2,8,8). These charged ions now are bound together with electrostatic force of
attraction and produce a neutral molecule of NaCl.
 Electrovalency
Formation of CaCl2 molecule –
Calcium chloride is formed by electrovalent bond between an atoms of calcium
and chloride.

Calcium atom with (2,8,8,2) electronic configuration, loses 2 electron to each

chlorine atom and acquires +2 positive charge i.e. Ca+2 which has a stable
configuration i.e. (2,8,8)
-
Each chlorine atoms gains that 1 electron and acquires a negative charge i.e. Cl
with stable configuration (2,8,8). These charged ions now are bound together with
electrostatic force of attraction and produce a neutral molecule of CaCl2.
 Electrovalency
Formation of CaCl2 molecule –
 Covalency
Definition – The valency obtained by the mutual sharing of electrons between the two
similar or dissimilar atoms so as to complete their last orbits is called covalancy.

Formation of H2 O molecule –
Water molecule contains two atoms of hydrogen and one item of oxygen. Each
hydrogen atom in short of 1 electron to complete its duplet and oxygen atom is
shot of 2 electrons to complete its octet.

In the formation of water molecule, oxygen atom complete its octet by sharing 2
electrons with two hydrogen atoms. Hydrogen atoms complete their duplet by
sharing 1 electron each with oxygen atom. Thus two separate single covalent
bonds are formed between hydrogen and oxygen atoms.
 Covalency
Formation of CO2 molecule –
Carbon dioxide molecule contains two atoms of oxygen (2,6) and one atom of
carbon (2,4). Carbon atom is short of 4 electrons to complete its octet and each
oxygen atom is short of 2 electrons to complete its octet.

In the formation of carbon dioxide molecule, carbon atom complete its octet
by sharing 4 electrons with two oxygen atoms. Oxygen atoms complete their
octet by sharing 2 electron each with carbon atom. Thus two carbon-oxygen
double covalent bonds are formed between carbon and oxygen atoms.