Definitions Flashcards
Daltons atomic theory
All matter is made up of very small particles called atoms
All atoms are indivisible. They cannot be broken down into smaller particles.
Cathode rays
Streams of negatively charged particles called electrons.
Energy level
The fixed energy value an electron can have in an atom
Ground state
State where an electron occupies lowest energy level available
Excited state
State where an electron occupies a higher energy level than those available in the ground state
Heisenbergs uncertainty principle
It is not possible to measure at the same time both the velocity and position of an electron in an atom
Orbital
Fixed region of space where there is a high probability of finding an electron
Sub level
A subdivision of a main energy level that consists of one or more orbitals of the same energy
Element
Substance that cannot be split into simpler substances by chemical means
Dobereiners triad
A triad is a group of 3 elements with similar properties in which the atomic weight of the middle element is approximately equal to the average of the other two
Newlands octaves
The arrangement of elements in which the first and eight elements counting from a particular element have similar properties
Mendeleevs Periodic law
When elements are arranged in order of increasing atomic weight, the properties of the elements recur/ repeat periodically in columns (groups) of similar chemical properties
Atomic number
Number of protons in the nucleus of an atom
Modern periodic law
When elements are arranged in order of increasing atomic number the properties of the elements recur/repeat periodically
Mass number
Sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom of that element
Isotopes
Atoms of the same element so they have the same atomic number due to the same number of protons but differing mass number due to the different number of neutrons in the nucleus
Relative atomic mass
The average mass number of the isotopes of an element as they occur naturally taking their abundance’s into account and expressed on a scale in which the atoms of the carbon 12 isotope have a mass of exactly 12 units
Principle of mass spectrometry
Charged particles moving in a magnetic field are deflected and separated by different extents/ amounts according to their masses
Electron configuration
Shows the arrangement of electrons in an atom of an element
Aufbau principle
When building up the electron configuration of an atom in its ground state the electrons occupy the lowest available energy levels
Hunds rule of maximum multiplicity
When two or more orbitals of equal energy are available electrons occupy singly before occupying them in pairs
Paulis exclusion principle
No more than two electrons can occupy and orbital and the electrons must have opposite spin
Compound
Substance that is made up of two or more different elements that are chemically combined e.g. Water, carbon dioxide, ammonia, methane
Octet rule
When bonding happens, atoms tend to reach an electron arrangement with eight electrons in the outermost energy level