Atomic Structure

Unit Goals
At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
(a) state the relative charges and approximate relative
masses of a proton, a neutron and an electron
(b) describe, with the aid of diagrams, the structure of an
atom as containing protons and neutrons (nucleons) in the
nucleus and electrons arranged in shells (energy levels)
(c) define proton number (atomic number) and nucleon
number (mass number)
(d) interpret and use symbols such as 6 C
12
 Unit Goals
At the end of the lesson, students should be
able to:
(e) Describe the formation of ions by electron
loss/gain in order to obtain electronic
configuration of an inert gas.
(f) Deduce the number of protons, electrons
and neutrons in atoms and ions, given proton
and/or nucleon number
(g) define the term isotopes
 Inside the Atom

Arrangement of subatomic Particles

Atomic Models

http://www.syvum.com/cgi/online/serve.cgi/squizzes/chem/atomic1.html
 Inside the Atom
Atoms are made up of 3 types of sub-
atomic particles:
Protons
Electrons
Neutrons

Atoms of different elements differ from

each other because of different
combinations of these particles.
 Inside the Atom
Particle Charge Relative Where can
mass you find it?
Proton +1 1 unit In the nucleus

Neutron 0 1 unit In the nucleus

Electron -1 1/1840 Orbiting

≈1/2000 unit around the
electron
shells
 Is atom electrically charged?
• Atom is electrically neutral (no net charge).
– An atom contains equal number of electrons and
protons.
3-D Arrangement of sub-atomic particles

NUCLEUS
Electron Orbital in 3D world
(optional)
Do you recognize him?
 Mendeleev
• Mendeleev, a Russian Chemist, was one of
the first to be partially sucessful in arranging
the known elements in the 1870's into a
chart that would allow the prediction of
properties.
"The properties of the elements are a
periodic function of their atomic masses"
 Mendeleev
• There were some inconsistencies in the
arrangement of the elements according to
his law, however it wasn't until the early
1900's (1914) that a Prof Moseley, a
British Physicist, was able to determine
the atomic numbers of all the known
elements using an experimental technique.
Do you recognize him?
 Henry Moseley
• Moseley then proceeded to rearrange the
elements according to increasing atomic
numbers.
• Moseley's arrangement seemed to clear up
the contradictions and inconsistencies of
Mendeleev's arrangement, but Moseley
based his arrangement on atomic
numbers and not atomic masses.
 Henry Moseley
• Moseley's periodic law is now considered
the current Periodic Law. It resulted in a
slight alteration of Mendeleev's
arrangement, but the slight difference was
enough to correct the inconsistencies that
existed in Mendeleev's arrangement.
 What is a Periodic Table?

• The Periodic Table is a method of arranging elements.

• In the Table, elements are arranged in order of proton

number, which increases from left to right across the Table.

• A vertical column of elements in the Table is called a Group.

– The Groups are numbered I, II, II, etc from left to right.

• A horizontal row of elements in the Table is called a Period.

– Each Period is numbered 1, 2, 3, etc.
 The Periodic Table (Period)

GROUP

I II III IV V VI VII 0

H He

Li Be B C N O F Ne

Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar
D OI REP

K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr

Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe

Cs Ba La Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn
 Patterns in the Periodic Table

1) A dividing line divides elements into metals and

non-metals.

– In general, elements in Group I and II are metals.

(elements with small number of electrons in the outer shell)

– In general, elements in Group VI and VII are non-metals.

(elements with large numbers of electrons in the outer shell)
 Chemical Symbol
Nucleon
number
Symbol of
element
Proton
number
 Atomic Number
Nucleon
number
Symbol of
element
Proton
number

Atomic number / Proton Number is the number

of protons in an atom

In other words, Li has 3 protons.

We also know that Li has 3 electrons (why?)
 Nucleon Number
Nucleon
number
Symbol of
element
Proton
number

Nucleon number / Mass Number is the number

of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an
atom

Can we find out the number of neutrons in an

atom?
 What information can we get
from a chemical symbol?
Since the mass number
is 7, the number of
neutrons can be
calculated by taking
the difference between
the mass number and
proton number.

Number of neutrons
=7–3
=4
How to calculate no. of subatomic particles

Example 1
Sodium has an Atomic Number of 11
and an Mass Number of 23 i.e.

An atom of sodium has

1) 11 Protons
2) 11 Electrons.
3) Number of Neutrons = 23-11 = 12
How to calculate no. of subatomic particles

Example 2
Hydrogen has an atomic number of 1
and an mass Number of 1 i.e.

Thus, you know an atom of hydrogen

has
• 1 Protons
• 1 Electrons.
• Number of Neutrons = 1-1 = 0
 Arrangement of electrons
• Electron arrangement determines
the chemical properties
of the atom.
• The electrons move around the
nucleus in regions known as
electron shells.
• Each shell can only hold a certain
number of electrons.
 Electronic Configuration
1) 12 Mg24 = 2.8.2

2) 17 Cl35.5 = 2.8.7

3) 7N14 = 2.5

4) 20 Ca40 = 2.8.8.2
11 = 2.8.1
5) 6 C 12
Based on the information above, predict
= 2.4
what is the relationship
between electronic configuration of an element and its position in
the Periodic Table?
 Additional Information
• Number of electrons
in the outermost
shell correspond to
the Group Number of
the atom in the
Periodic Table.
• Number of electron
shells in an atom
correspond to the
Period in which it is in
How to fill in electrons into
electron shells?

16 S 32 S
Sulphur

Proton no.=16
Electron no.=16
Electronic configuration= 2.8.6
 How to fill in electrons into
electron shells?

7 N 14
N
Nitrogen
Proton no.=7
Electron no.=7
Electronic configuration= 2.5
 How to fill in electrons into
electron shells?

17 Cl 35.5

Chlorine Cl

Proton no.=17
Electron no.=17
Electronic configuration= 2.8.7
 Formation of Ions

• How do atoms become ions?

• Formation of Cations
• Formation of Anions
 “How do atoms form ions?”
• In an atom, the number of protons is the
same as number of electrons.
• The atom is electrically neutral.
• However, during a chemical reaction,
electrons can either be:
– added or taken away from an atom 
atom is no longer neutral
– A charged particle called ION is formed.
 “How do atoms form ions?”

-
Add electrons
Negative ion
Protons < Electrons

Neutral atom Lose

+
Protons = Electrons electrons
Positive ion
Protons > Electrons
 “How do atoms gain chemical
stability?”
• Atoms form ions so that they have the stable
electron configuration of a noble gas.
(See diagram below)

2 2,8 2,8,8
(duplet) (Octet) (Octet)
 “Formation of positive ions -
CATIONS?”
• Cations are positive ions.
• Cations are usually ions of metals, as
metals tend to lose electrons during a
chemical reaction.
Group No of electron(s) Charge of
lost cation
I 1 +1
II 2 +2
III 3 +3
 12 Mg 24

Magnesium
Proton no.=12 + - -
Electron no.=12
-
Neutron no.=12
- 12 + - -
- - -
12 -
(12+) + (12-) = 0 -

Neutral
- -
BUT

Chemically
Unstable Mg atom = 2.8.2
 12 Mg 24
Metal Remove -
Magnesium

2.8.2
- - Neutral but Unstable

REMOVE 2 -
- - 12 + - -
- -
12 -
-
2.8
- - Extra 2+ charge
BUT
STABLE
 12 Mg 24

Magnesium 2+
Proton no.=12 + - -
Electron no.=10
-
Neutron no.=12
- 12 + -
- -
12 -
(12+) + (10-) = 2+ -

Charged
- -
BUT

Chemically
stable Mg2+ ion = 2.8
 10 Ne 20

Neon
- -
Proton no.=10 +
Electron no.=10 -
Neutron no.=20 18 + -
- -
- 22
- -
Neutral

AND - -

STABLE

Ne = 2.8 (octet)
 “Formation of negative ions -
ANIONS?”
• Anions are negatively-charged ions.
• Anions are usually ions of non-metals, as
non-metals tend to gain electrons during a
chemical reaction.
Group No of electron(s) Charge of
gain anion
V 3 -3
VI 2 -2
VII 1 -1
 16 S 32

Sulphur - -

Proton no.=16 + - -
Electron no.=16 -
Neutron no.=16 16 +
- - -
- - -
16 -
(16+) + (16-) = 0 -

Neutral - -

BUT - -

Chemically
Unstable
S atom = 2.8.6
 16 S 32

Sulphur
NON-metal ADD -

- - 2.8.6
- - Neutral but Unstable

ADD 2 -
- 16 + - -
- - -
16 - -
- -
2.8.8
- - Extra 2- charge
BUT
- -
STABLE
 16 S 32

Sulphur - - 2-
Proton no.=16 - -
+
Electron no.=18 -
Neutron no.=16
- 16 + - -
- - -
16 - -
(16+) + (18-) = 2- - -

Charged - -

BUT - -

Chemically
stable S2- ion = 2.8.8
 18 Ar 40

Argon - -

- -
Proton no.=18 +
Electron no.=18 -
Neutron no.=22 18 + - -
- - -
- 22
- - -
(18+) + (18-) = 0 -

Neutral - -

AND - -

STABLE Ar atom = 2.8.8 (octet)

 How do you make
neutral but unstable atoms
???STABLE
Remove / Add - resulting in
the formation of ions
((charged particle
Note:
In chemical reaction, protons and neutrons are NOT
removed or added!
 EXERCISE 1
Element Neutron no. Proton no. Electron no. Formula of Electron
ion Added /
Removed

40-20=20 20 20 Ca2+ Removed

40 2 electrons
Ca 2.8.8.2 2.8.8
20 (stable)
Octet
7-3=4 3 3 Li+ Removed 1
7 2.1 2 electron
Li (stable)
3 Duplet
31-15=16 15 15 P3- Added
31 3 electrons
P 2.8.5 2.8.8
15 Octet (stable)
 EXERCISE 2
Element Neutron no. Proton no. Electron Formula of Electron
no. ion Added /
Removed

39-19=20 19 19 K+ Removed
39
K 2.8.8.1 2.8.8 1 electron
19 Octet
14-7=7 7 7 N3- Added
14 2.5 2.8 3 electrons
N
7 Octet
27-13=14 13 13 Al3+ Removed
27
Al 2.8.3 2.8 3 electrons
13 Octet
 Isotopes
• Isotopes are atoms of the same element
with the same number of protons but
different number of neutrons.
• Isotopes have same chemical properties
but slightly different physical properties.
– Chemical reactions involve only electrons not
protons or neutrons.
 Common isotopes… 12 C and 14 C
• Radiocarbon dating is a radiometric dating
method that uses the naturally occurring
radioisotope carbon-14 (14C) to determine
the age of carbonaceous materials up to
about 60,000 years.[1]
• Raw, i.e. uncalibrated, radiocarbon ages
are usually reported in radiocarbon years
"Before Present" (BP), "Present" being
defined as AD 1950. Such raw ages can
be calibrated to give calendar dates.
 Common isotopes… H, H, H 1 2 3

• The most common isotope of hydrogen

has no neutrons at all
• There's also a hydrogen isotope called
deuterium, with one neutron, and
another, tritium, with two neutrons.

Hydrogen Deuterium Tritium

 Atoms to Molecules:
“Fated” Attraction
• When two or more atoms of the same
kind or of different kinds, chemical
combined together, a molecule is
formed.

• Molecules exist in both elements and

compounds.
 Molecules of …
• Elements
– consist of a fixed number of one kind of atom
only!
– Eg: Oxygen molecule, O2

• Compounds
– consist of a fixed number of two or more kind of
different atoms chemically combined together.
– Eg: Water molecule, H2O
 Chemical Formula
• Molecules can be represented using
chemical formula.

• The chemical formula of a molecule shows the

number and types of atoms contained in it

• The chemical formula of a substance is denoted

by chemical symbol and the subscript
showing the number of atoms present in the
molecule.
Common Examples of Molecules
Common Examples of Molecules

Sulphur molecule, S8 Fullerene, C60

Ammonia gas, NH3

1 Nitrogen atom is
bonded to 3 hydrogen
atoms