The Atom

Question 1

Name three types of particle

Answer 1

1. Proton
2. Neutron
3. Electron

Question 2

Explain the structure of an atom

Answer 2

Most of the mass of the atom is concentrated in the nucleus. The nucleus is made up of protons and neutrons. Electrons whizz around the nucleus in orbitals. Orbitals make up most of the volume of an atom

Question 3

What are the relative masses of the subatomic particles?

Answer 3

1. Proton = 1
2. Neutron = 1
3. Electrons = 1/2000

Question 4

What are the relative charges of the subatomic particles?

Answer 4

1. Proton = +1
2. Neutrons = 0
3. Electrons = -1

Question 5

What does a nuclear symbol show?

Answer 5

Nuclear symbols show the number of protons, neutrons and electrons in an atom

Question 6

What is the mass number?

Answer 6

The mass number tells you the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus

Question 7

What does the atomic (proton) number tell you?

Answer 7

This is the number of protons in the nucleus - it identifies the element. All atoms of the same element have the same number of protons

Question 8

In neutral atoms, what is the number of electrons?

Answer 8

The number of electrons is the same as the number of protons

Question 9

How do you work out the number of neutrons?

Answer 9

The number of neutrons is the mass number - the atomic number

Question 10

How do ions form?

Answer 10

Ions form by losing or gaining electrons

Question 11

What do negative ions have in terms of protons and electrons?

Answer 11

Negative ions have more electrons than protons

Question 12

What do positive ions have in terms of protons and electrons?

Answer 12

Positive ions have fewer electrons than protons

Question 13

What is an isotope?

Answer 13

Isotopes of an element are atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons

Question 14

Do isotopes of an element have the same chemical properties?

Answer 14

It’s the number and arrangement of electrons that decides the chemical properties of an element. isotopes have the same configuration of electrons, so they have the chemical properties

Question 15

Do isotopes of an element have the same physical properties?

Answer 15

The physical properties of an element depends on the mass of the atom. They have different numbers of neutrons and therefore have different masses, so the physical properties of isotopes are slightly different