ATOMIC STRUCTURE
Particles in the atom and atomic radius
What is an atom?
Fundamental piece of matter
Everything is made from atom!
(apart from energy)
Basic unit – the smallest particle
of a chemical element
Atom models
Many models of atom have been proposed
The structure of the atom
Electrons
Nucleus • Orbit the
• Center of the nucleus in
atom shells
• Dense • Do not
• Composed of contribute
neutrons and much to the
protons mass of the
(nucleons) atom
Sub-Atomic particles
Particle Relative Mass Relative In neutral atom,
Charge protons = electrons
Proton +ve = -ve
1.0 +1
Neutron
1.0 0
Electron
1/2000 -1
Mass and atomic number
Mass
Number
Elemen
X
Number of
A
Nucleons (p+n)
t
Atomic
Number
Number of
Z
protons
https://id.periodic-table.io/
Exam style question
1. How many electrons are in an atom of the following element.
[1 mark]
11 N
a
23
2. For each of the following atoms, complete the table to give the
number of subatomic particles in each.
[3 marks]
Particle
Protons 20 78
Neutrons 20 117
Electrons 20 78
3. Chromium has a mass number of 52. Explain why Vanadium comes
before Chromium on the periodic table.
[2 marks]
Answer:
The order of the periodic table depends on the atomic number. √
Vanadium has an atomic number of 23, and chromium of 24. √
Homework
Cl + e+ Cl-
Chlorine atom 1 electron gained chloride ion Ion
17 protons 17 protons
17 electrons 18 electrons
When an atom gains or loses
electrons, ions are formed,
which are electrically charged.
Mg Mg2+ + 2e-
Magnesium Magnesium 2 electrons
atom ion removed
12 protons 12 protons
12 electrons 10 electrons
Atomic radius and Ionic radius
Atomic radius is the distance from the
nucleus of an atom to its boundary of the
electron cloud. In other words, it is the
distance from the nucleus to the farthest
electron that belongs to that atom. Atomic
radius can be defined only for isolated and
neutral atoms.
When considering the periodic table of elements, there is a pattern of the
atomic radius of elements. Along a period of the periodic table, the atomic
number is gradually decreased. The elements in the same period have the
same number of electron shells.
If the number of electrons present is higher, the attraction between the
electrons and the nucleus is also high. In the beginning of the period, there is
a less number of electrons present in the outermost orbital. Then the
attraction from the nucleus is less. Therefore, the atom is large, and the
atomic radius is also large. But when moving along a period, the number of
protons in the nucleus is increased along with the number of electrons
present in the atom. Therefore, the attraction force between electrons and
the nucleus is high. It causes the size of the atom to shrink; then the atomic
radius is reduced. Likewise, when moving along a period, the size of the
atom is decreased gradually, so is the atomic radius.
Ionic radius is the radius of an atom’s ion.
The cation is smaller in size because a cation is formed by removing one
or more electrons from an atom. The anion is large because it has extra
electrons that are repelled by the nucleus, resulting in the increase of
the distance between the nucleus and the farthest electron of the
electron cloud.
