ALE 6. Atomic Structure Name ALWIN M.

MAGGAY
CHEM 161 – K. Marr Team No. Section

What is an atom?
What is the structure of an atom?

The Model—the structure of an atom

(Reference: sections 2.4 - 2.6 in Silberberg 5th ed.)

The subatomic particles that chemists are typically concerned with are the electron, the proton, and (to a lesser extent) the
neutron. The following table shows what distinguishes one subatomic particle from another:
Symbol used in the
Particle Charge Mass (amu*)
diagrams below
electron -1 0.00055 e
proton +1 1.00728 p
neutron 0 1.00867 n
* The atomic mass unit (amu) is equivalent to 1.6606  10-24 g.

Suppose we had a VERY powerful microscope/camera that allowed us to take the following ―snapshots‖ of atoms. (A snapshot
is involved because the particles within the nucleus of an atom (don’t confuse it with a nucleus of a cell!) are in constant motion
as are the electrons in space outside of the nucleus. To see what’s in the nucleus, we have to zoom in real close.
 Hydrogen-1

1
e
1H
 p

Hydrogen-2

2
1H
 p n

ALE 6 – Atomic Structure – Fall 2008 Page 1 of 7

 a Magnesium ion
e e
e e pnp
24 2+ n p
12 Mg e p nn
n n
 p p p p
n p
e e e n n n n
p p n p

e e

The following three diagrams are carbon atoms using the following symbols (not drawn to scale)

= proton (positive charge) = electron (negative charge) = neutron (no charge)

126 C 13
6 C 146 C
(6 protons, 6 neutrons) (6 protons, 7 neutrons) (6 protons, 8 neutrons)

A X
Notice the type of notation used for atoms:
Z
X = chemical symbol of the element
Z = ―atomic number‖
 A = ―mass number‖

12C , , and are notations that represent 136C 146Cisotopes of carbon.

6

1
H , 21H and are notations that represent31H isotopes of hydrogen.
1

The part of the atom where the protons and neutrons are called the nucleus.
Key Questions
1 a.) How many protons are found in each of the following? ___7__ ___7__ __7___

b.) How many neutrons are found in each of the following? ___7__ _8__ __7___

c.) How many electrons are found in each of the following? ___10__ __10___ __10___

2 a.) Based on the Model, what do all atoms (neutral or charged) of Nitrogen have in common?
All atoms of nitrogen, whether neutral or charged, have 7 protons in their nucleus. This is because the atomic number of
nitrogen is 7, which defines the number of protons in its nucleus.

The number of electrons and neutrons can vary, depending on whether the atom is neutral or charged.

A neutral nitrogen atom has 7 electrons.

A nitrogen ion with a charge (like N³⁻) has a different number of electrons, but it still has 7 protons.

b.) Based on the Model, what do all atoms (neutral or charged) of Hydrogen have in common?
 All atoms of hydrogen, whether neutral or charged, have 1 proton in their nucleus. This is because the atomic number of hydrogen
is 1, which defines the number of protons in its nucleus.

The number of electrons and neutrons can vary, depending on whether the atom is neutral or charged.

A neutral hydrogen atom has 1 electron.

A hydrogen ion with a charge (like H⁺) has a different number of electrons, but it still has 1 proton.

3. Look at the Periodic Table on page 7. What is the significance of the number (called the atomic number and represented by
the letter Z ) that appears above the symbol of each element on the periodic table. (e.g., ―H‖ for Hydrogen and ―N‖ for
Nitrogen)?
The atomic number (Z) of an element is a crucial piece of information that defines its identity and properties. Here are the key
significances of the atomic number:

Number of Protons: The atomic number (Z) represents the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. This is a fundamental
characteristic of an element, as it determines its identity.
Number of Electrons in a Neutral Atom: In a neutral atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons. Therefore,
the atomic number also indirectly tells us the number of electrons in a neutral atom.
Position on the Periodic Table: The elements on the periodic table are arranged in order of increasing atomic number. This means
that elements with similar chemical properties are grouped together vertically in columns (groups or families).
Chemical Behavior: The atomic number influences the chemical behavior of an element. Elements with similar atomic numbers
tend to have similar chemical properties. For example, elements in the same group often react in similar ways.
Isotopes: Isotopes are atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons. While the atomic number (number of
protons) remains constant for isotopes of an element, the atomic mass number (sum of protons and neutrons) varies.

4. What do all Arsenic (As) atoms have in common?

All Arsenic (As) atoms have 33 protons.This is because the atomic number of arsenic is 33, which defines the number of protons
in its nucleus.
5. The number of what subatomic particle determines the identity of an atom?
The number pf protons determine the identity of an atom. This is because the atomic number, which is the number of protons in
the nucleus, uniquely identifies an element.

6. The left-hand superscript in the symbol for an atom (e.g., the 2 in H21 ) is called the mass number and is represented
by the letter A. What subatomic particle(s) determine(s) the value of A?
The left-hand superscript in the symbol for an atom (e.g., the 2 in H₂¹) is called the mass number and is represented by the letter
A. The mass number is the sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the atom's nucleus.

7. Hydrogen-1, Hydrogen-2 and Hydrogen-3 are isotopes of the element Hydrogen. Nitrogen-14 and Nitrogen-15 are
isotopes of the element Nitrogen. What subatomic particle distinguishes isotopes of the same element from each other?
Neutrons distinguish isotopes of the same element from each other. While isotopes have the same number of protons (which
determines the element), they differ in the number of neutrons in their nuclei. This difference in neutron number leads to different
atomic masses for isotopes of the same element.

24
8. If present, what does the right-hand superscript in the symbol for an atom (e.g., the ―2+‖ in Mg2+) tell the reader?
12
The right-hand superscript in the symbol for an atom (e.g., the "2+" in ²⁴Mg²⁺) indicates the charge of the ion.
If the superscript is positive (e.g., 2+), it means the atom has lost electrons.
If the superscript is negative (e.g., 2-), it means the atom has gained electrons.
In the case of ²⁴Mg²⁺, the "2+" indicates that the magnesium atom has lost two electrons, giving it a positive charge of 2.
9 a.) When an atom becomes an ion (e.g., when N becomes N147 14
7
3-
), which subatomic particle
undergoes a change in number in the atom?
Gain of electrons: When an atom gains electrons, it becomes a negatively charged ion (anion). For example, N³ ⁻ has gained three
electrons.
Loss of electrons: When an atom loses electrons, it becomes a positively charged ion (cation). For example, Na ⁺ has lost one
electron.
The number of protons and neutrons remains constant in an ion, as these particles define the identity of the element.

b.) Is that particle gained or lost? Explain.

In the case of N³⁻, the atom has gained electrons.

The superscript "3-" indicates a negative charge. Since electrons are negatively charged particles, a negative charge on an atom
implies that it has acquired more electrons than protons. Therefore, in this case, the nitrogen atom has gained three electrons to
achieve a 3- charge.

c.) How is the magnitude of the charge on an ion determined?

The magnitude of the charge on an ion is determined by the difference between the number of protons and electrons in the atom.

Positive charge: If an atom loses more electrons than protons, it becomes a positively charged ion (cation). The magnitude of the
charge is equal to the number of protons minus the number of electrons. For example, Na⁺ has lost one electron, so its charge is
1+.
Negative charge: If an atom gains more electrons than protons, it becomes a negatively charged ion (anion).

The magnitude of the charge is equal to the number of electrons minus the number of protons. For example, N³ ⁻ has gained three
electrons, so its charge is 3-.
Exercises
10. Complete the table below.
Isotopic Symbol Z A # of electrons # of protons # of neutrons

12
6 C 6 12 6 6 6

5626 Fe3+ 26 53 23 26 30

32 S2-
6 12 6 6 5
16

42 98 42

48 50 70

15 18 16

11. Write the isotopic notation (e.g. 94Be) for each representation of the following atoms or ions.

a.) Isotopic notation: b.) Isotopic notation: c.) Isotopic notation:

 6 e- 40 e- 26 e-

6 p+ 40 p+ 28 p+
7 n0 50 n0 33 n0

12. Draw the atomic representations similar to those in the previous question for each of the following atoms or ions.
a.) 20782Pb b.) 94Be c.) 7533As 5+

a. B. C.
E82 E:4 E:28

P:4
P:82 P:33
N:90
N:126 N:42

13. Rutherford’s ―gold foil experiment‖ involves passing a

beam of -particles (i.e. helium nuclei, He2+) through a very thin
sheet of gold. Most of the -particles pass through the gold foil (a
very dense metal) with little or no deflection. However, a few of the
-particles are observed to be deflected significantly— some
were even deflected back to the source!
a.) Explain why most of the -particles pass directly through the
gold foil with little to no deflection.
The majority of alpha particles passed directly through the gold foil with little to no deflection because most of the atom is empty space.

Rutherford's gold foil experiment was a pivotal moment in atomic theory. By firing alpha particles (positively charged helium nuclei) at a thin gold foil, he
observed that:

Most particles passed straight through: This indicated that the majority of the atomic volume is empty space.
Some particles were deflected: A small percentage of alpha particles were deflected at large angles, suggesting the presence of a small, dense, positively
charged core within the atom.
The fact that most alpha particles passed through without significant deflection supported the idea that the atom's positive charge and most of its mass are
concentrated in a tiny nucleus, while the electrons occupy a much larger volume around it.

b.) Explain why only a very small fraction of the -particles have large deflection angles.
The small fraction of alpha particles that experienced large deflection angles in Rutherford's experiment were those that passed
very close to the nucleus of a gold atom.

Here's why:

Tiny Nucleus: The nucleus of an atom is extremely small compared to the overall size of the atom. This means that the chances
of an alpha particle directly hitting a nucleus are very low.
Strong Electrostatic Repulsion: When an alpha particle does pass close to a nucleus, it experiences a strong electrostatic
repulsion due to the positive charges of both the alpha particle and the nucleus. This repulsion is so strong that it can cause the
alpha particle to be deflected at a large angle.
Rare Event: Given the small size of the nucleus and the relatively large distance between nuclei in a solid, it's a rare occurrence
for an alpha particle to pass close enough to a nucleus to be significantly deflected.
Therefore, the observation of a small number of alpha particles being deflected at large angles was crucial evidence for the
existence of a small, dense, positively charged nucleus at the center of the atom

c.) Explain why some of the -particles are deflected back to the source. What does this tell you about the structure of the
atom?
 he alpha particles that were deflected back to the source in Rutherford's experiment did so because they directly collided with or
passed very close to the nucleus of a gold atom.

This observation provided strong evidence for the following aspects of atomic structure:

Dense Nucleus: The fact that some alpha particles were deflected back indicated that they encountered a very dense, positively
charged region within the atom. This dense region is the nucleus.
Positive Charge of the Nucleus: The strong electrostatic repulsion between the positively charged alpha particles and the nucleus
caused the deflections. This confirmed that the nucleus carries a positive charge.
Small Size of the Nucleus: The rarity of alpha particles being deflected back suggests that the nucleus is very small compared to
the overall size of the atom.
In conclusion, the deflection of alpha particles back to the source in Rutherford's experiment provided compelling evidence for
the existence of a small, dense, positively charged nucleus at the center of the atom. This discovery was a major breakthrough in
atomic physics, leading to the development of the modern atomic model.

14. What is the net charge on every atom? Explain why.

The net charge on every atom is zero.

This is because atoms, in their neutral state, contain an equal number of protons and electrons. Protons have a positive charge, while
electrons have a negative charge. Since the magnitudes of these charges are equal and opposite, they cancel each other out, resulting in
a net charge of zero.

Only when an atom gains or loses electrons (forming an ion) does it acquire a net charge.

If an atom gains more electrons than protons, it becomes a negatively charged ion. Conversely, if an atom loses more electrons than
protons, it becomes a positively charged ion.

15. An oxide ion (oxygen ion) has a 2– charge. (Use your periodic table if necessary)
 a.) How many protons does the oxide ion have?
An oxide ion (O²⁻) has 8 protons.

The number of protons in an atom is determined by its atomic number. Oxygen has an atomic number of 8, meaning it has 8
protons in its nucleus.

Becoming an ion does not change the number of protons in an atom. The 2- charge indicates that the oxygen atom has gained two
electrons, but the number of protons remains the same.

b.) How many electrons does an oxide ion have?

An oxide ion (O²⁻) has 10 electrons.

The 2- charge indicates that the oxygen atom has gained two electrons.
Since a neutral oxygen atom has 8 electrons, gaining 2 more electrons gives it a total of 10 electrons.

PERIODICTABLEOFTHEELEMENTS

58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71

Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu
140.12 140.91 144.24 (145) 150.4 151.97 157.25 158.93 162.50 164.93 167.26 168.93 173.04 174.97
90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103
Th Pa U Np Pu Am Cm Bk Cf Es Fm Md No Lr
232.04 231.04 238.03 237.05 (244) (243) (247) (247) (251) (252) (257) (258) (259) (260)
 The elements hydrogen, oxygen, fluorine, iodine, chlorine, and
bromine share common traits due to their membership in the
halogen group of the periodic table. These traits include
diatomic existence, high electronegativity, oxidizing power,
variable oxidation states, increasing reactivity down the group,
and diverse physical and biological properties.

Lanthanides


Actinides
ALE 6 – Atomic Structure – Fall 2008 Page 7 of 7