Fundamental Particles
Three fundamental particles make up atoms:
Particle Mass (amu) Charge
Electron (e-) 0.00054858 -1
Proton (p,p+) 1.0073 +1
Neutron(n,n0) 1.0087 0
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The Discovery of Protons
1913 – H.G.J. Moseley
Realized that the atomic number
defines the element:
Each element differs from the
preceding element by having one more
positive charge in its nucleus
Along with a number of observations made
by Rutherford and some other physicists,
this led to the discovery of the proton
The elements differ from each other by
the number of protons in the nucleus
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The Discovery of Neutrons
1932 – James Chadwick
recognized existence of massive neutral
particles which he called neutrons
(Nobel prize in physics in 1935)
The atomic mass of an element is mainly
determined by the total number of
protons and neutrons in the nucleus
The atomic number of an element is
determined by the total number of
protons in the nucleus
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Mass Number and Atomic Number
Mass number – A
Atomic number – Z
Z = # protons
A = # protons + # neutrons
# protons = # electrons
The way we typically write this:
A
Z E
37
17 Cl
37
Cl
full nuclide symbol short nuclide symbol
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Isotopes
Atoms of the same element but with
different masses
The same element means that the
number of protons is the same,
then different masses mean that
the number of neutrons differs
H
1
1
2
1H 3
1H
protium deuterium tritium
(or hydrogen)
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Isotopes: Example
16
O 235
U
17
O
238
U
18
O
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Experimental Detection of Isotopes
1919-1920 – Francis Aston
Designed the first mass-spectrometer
(Nobel prize in chemistry in 1922)
Factors which determine a particle’s
path in the mass spectrometer:
accelerating voltage, V
magnetic field strength, H
mass of the particle, m
charge on the particle, q
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Mass Spectrometry & Isotopes
Mass spectrum of Ne+ ions
This is how scientists determine the masses
and abundances of the isotopes of an element
8
Mass Spectrometry & Isotopes
Let’s calculate the atomic mass of Ne
using the mass-spectrometry data
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Atomic Weight Scale
A unit of atomic mass (atomic mass unit) was
defined as exactly 1/12 of the mass of a 12C atom
Two important consequences of such scale choice:
The atomic mass of 12C equals 12 a.m.u.
1 a.m.u. is approximately the mass of one atom
of 1H, the lightest isotope of the element with
the lowest mass.
The atomic weight of an element is the weighted
average of the masses of its isotopes
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Isotopes and Atomic Weight
Naturally occurring chromium consists
of four isotopes. It is
4.31% 50Cr, mass = 49.946 amu
83.76% 52Cr, mass = 51.941 amu
9.55% 53Cr, mass = 52.941 amu
2.38% 54Cr, mass = 53.939 amu
Calculate the atomic weight of chromium
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Isotopes and Atomic Weight
Naturally occurring Cu consists of 2 isotopes. It is
69.1% 63Cu with a mass of 62.9 amu, and 30.9% 65Cu,
which has a mass of 64.9 amu. Calculate the atomic
weight of Cu to one decimal place.
A.W.(Cu) = (62.9 amu 0.691) + ( 64.9 amu 0.309) =
= 63.5 amu
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Electromagnetic Radiation
Any wave is characterized by 2 parameters:
Wavelength () is the distance between two
identical points of adjacent waves, for
example between their crests
It is measured in units of distance (m, cm, Å)
Frequency () is the number of wave crests
passing a given point per unit time (for
example, per second)
It is measured in units of 1/time, usually s-1
1 s-1 = 1 Hz (Hertz)
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Electromagnetic Radiation
The speed at which the wave propagates:
c=
The speed of electromagnetic waves in
vacuum has a constant value:
c = 3.00108 m/s
This is the speed of light
Given the frequency of the
electromagnetic radiation, we can
calculate its wavelength, and vice versa
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Electromagnetic Radiation
Max Planck
(Nobel prize in physics in 1918)
Electromagnetic radiation can also be
described in terms of “particles” called
photons
Each photon is a particular amount of
energy carried by the wave
Planck’s equation relates the energy of
the photon to the frequency of radiation:
E=h
(h is a Planck’s constant, 6.626·10-34 J·s)
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Electromagnetic Radiation
What is the energy of green
light of wavelength 5200 Å?
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