Vocabulary – know the concepts, not just definitions, related to each of these.
Make flashcards if that helps
Atom: most basic unit of matter
Nucleus: center of an atom,
contains protons and neutrons
Proton: positively charged particle
in the nucleus of the atom;
determines the IDENTITY of the
atom; adds to MASS of atom
Neutron: neutral particle of an atom,
located in the nucleus; adds to
MASS of atom
Electron: negatively charged
particle, located on the outside of
the nucleus; NO MASS
Atomic mass unit: 1 AMU is how
much a proton and neutron weighs;
a unit of mass
Atomic number: the number of
protons in an atom; determines the
IDENTITY of the atom; in a
NEUTRAL atom, also equals the
number of electrons
Atomic mass: how much an atom
weighs; mass of the protons PLUS
neutrons; atomic mass MINUS
atomic number equals
NEUTRONS; for exceptions, see
ISOTOPE
Octet Rule: the ‘want’ for an atom to
have 8 electrons on its outer shell;
atoms will gain or lose electrons to
fulfill this
Lewis Dot Diagram: shows the
number of valence electrons for a
given element (see the group
number on periodic table)
Isotope: an atom with a varying
number of neutrons (Example:
Carbon-14, Hydrogen-2, Hydrogen-3)
Cation: a positive ion (more
protons than electrons- by donating,
METALS)
Anion: a negative ion (more
electrons than protons- by gaining,
NONMETALS)
Metalloid: “on the line” (stair step
line on the periodic table)
Family or group: COLUMNS; share
characteristics; same valence e’s
Period: ROWS; tells you how many
electron shells the element has
Alkali metal: column 1 on the PT;
very reactive (+1 cation)
Alkaline earth metal: column 2 on
the PT; reactive, but not as much
as alkali metals (+2 cation, has 2
valence electrons to lose)
Halogens: column 17 on the PT; (-1
ion; have 7 valence electrons,
wants to gain 8th electron)
Noble gas: column 18 on the PT;
NONREACTIVE, complete outer
shell
Inert
Covalent bond
Ionic bond
Metallic bond
Electronegativity: “how bad an atom
wants an electron” (very high for
alkali metals, lower for halogens)
Ionization energy: “how hard it is to
take an electron away” (very low for
alkali metals, higher for halogens)
Strong forces
Weak force
Electromagnetic force
Radioactive decay: the breakdown
of an atomic nucleus
Half-life: the amount of time it takes
HALF of an element to decay (can
be seconds to hundreds of years)
Alpha: the breakdown of an atomic
nuclei that releases a Helium atom;
mass decreases by FOUR, atomic
number decreases by TWO
Beta: the breakdown of an atomic
nuclei; a neutron splits into an
electron and proton; atomic number
increases by ONE, mass does not
change
Gamma: energy released after the
atomic nuclei breaks down
Conservation of decay
Nuclear fusion: two atomic nuclei Nuclear fission: an atomic nuclei
coming together under extreme that splits
heat and pressure

Atomic Modeling – Draw a bohr model and Lewis Structure for each of the following atoms, ions, or isotopes. Be careful
to use the correct number of protons, neutrons, and electrons according to the atomic number and mass.

Carbon-14 Argon Helium-4

Na+1 ion Fluorine-19 Hydrogen-2

Describe to understand
Explain the difference between an isotope and an ion.
AN ISOTOPE IS AN ATOM WITH A VARYING NUMBER OF NEUTRONS; IT IS STILL THE SAME ELEMENT, THE
MASS HAS VARIED

AN ION IS AN ATOM WITH A CHARGE RESULTING FROM A LOSS (ANION) OR GAIN (CATION) OF ELECTRONS;
IT IS STILL THE SAME ELEMENT, THE CHARGE IS NO LONGER NEUTRAL

What does each label on the periodic table tell you about that particular element? (periodic number, mass, group, period,
symbol?)

PERIODIC NUMBER- NUMBER OF PROTONS (and in a neutral atom, the same number of electrons)

MASS- NUMBER OF PROTONS AND NEUTRONS

GROUP- COLUMNS; SHARE THE SAME NUMBER OF VALENCE ELECTRONS

PERIOD- ROWS; SHARE THE SAME NUMBER OF ELECTRON SHELLS

SYMBOL- ELEMENT SYMBOL; EITHER ONE UPPER CASE LETTER OR AN UPPER AND LOWER CASE LETTER

Draw diagrams representing fission and fusion

Tungsten-185, is a radioactive isotope with a half-life of 91 days. If a medical lab purchases 24 kg of Tungsten-185,
how much will be left after 1 year?

1.25 kg
Periodic Table – Use this Periodic Table as a cheat sheet for the test. You can label whatever you need to, and color
groups/families, metals, metalloids, and nonmetals, etc. Do not make unrelated notes for reference, only labels on the
table itself.