Handout: Atomic Structure and Language of Chemistry

Atomic number (Z):

o equal to number of protons in the nucleus of an atom
Mass number (A):
o it is sum of no. of protons + no. of neutrons, in the nucleus of an atom
Valency:
o combining capacity of an element
o number of electrons that an atom of an element can gain, lose or share to attain stable
configuration
o e.g. Na11 2,8,1 loses one electron to attain stable configuration (2,8) and Cl17 2,8,7 gains
one electron to attain stable configuration (2,8,8) hence both have valency 1
Variable valency:
o under different reaction conditions, some elements lose, gain or share different number of
electrons, which is called variable valency
o e.g. valency of Sulphur in H2S, SO2 and SO3 is 2, 4 and 6 respectively
Oxidation state:
o number of electrons actually gained, lost or shared by an atom of an element during chemical
reaction/ compound formation.
o For electropositive elements (elements that have tendency to lose electrons to be stable)
represented by a number with (+) positive sign
o For electronegative elements (elements that have tendency to gain electrons to be stable)
represented by a number with (-) negative sign
o e.g. oxidation state of Na is +1 and that of Cl is -1 in NaCl
o e.g. oxidation state of S is +4 and that of O is -2 in SO2
Duplet rule:
o an element gains, loses or shares electron(s) in such a way that it has 2 e in its first shell
which is also its outermost (valence) shell
Octet rule:
o an element gains, loses or shares electron(s) in such a way that it has 8 e in its outermost
(valence) shell
Cations:
o
o
o
o

an ion with positive charge

formed by loss of electron by a metal atom
no. of electrons < no. of protons
smaller than parent atom reason1: due to loss of electron from valence shell, outermost shell is lost
reason2: as no. of protons are more there is greater pull by the protons on the
remaining electrons, hence ion shrinks in size

ANUJA PANWAR [TSRS - TEACHER - AR]

Anions:
o
o
o
o

an ion with negative charge

formed by gain of electron by a non - metal atom
no. of electrons > no. of protons
larger than parent atom
reason: due to more no. of electrons in valence shell, repulsion between new and old
electrons and hence electron cloud expands

Isotopes:
o
o
o
o

atoms of same element

they have same atomic no. but different mass no.
slightly different physical properties due to different mass no
same chemical properties due to same electronic configuration and hence same no. of valence
electrons that determines the chemical properties
16
35
12
o e.g. 1H1, 2H1, 3H1
O8 , 17O8, 18O8
Cl17, 37Cl17
C6, 13C6, 14C6
Isobars:
o
o
o
o

atoms of different elements

they have different atomic no. but same mass no.
similar physical properties due to same mass no
different chemical properties due to different electronic configuration and hence different no.
of valence electrons that determines the chemical properties
14
24
o e.g. 40Ar18, 40Ca20
C6, 14N7
Na11, 24Mg12

ANUJA PANWAR [TSRS - TEACHER - AR]