Basic Atomic Structure Worksheet ANSWERS

1 a) protons b) neutrons c) electrons

a) Positive b) Neutral c) negative

2 atomic number (or identity); charge

3 protons; electrons (in a neutral charge atom only!); same

4 average atomic weight; mass

5 mass number; nucleus

6 neutrons; protons (or atomic number); mass number

7 Lithium = Li = 3 Bromine = Br= 35

Iron = Fe=26 Copper = Cu = 29
Oxygen = O = 8 Mercury = Hg = 80
Krypton = Kr = 36 Helium = He = 2

8 (A neutral atom by definition has NO charge! The protons and electrons are equal!)

Uranium = U = 92 Iodine = I = 53
Boron = B = 5 Xenon = Xe = 54
Chlorine = Cl = 17

9 NOTE****For these, I rounded the average atomic weight to the nearest whole number to get
the mass number for the most abundant isotope. Mass number is the number of protons and
neutrons: this number is not on the Periodic Table. Atomic weight is the average of all isotopes
and this IS on the Periodic Table.

Barium = Ba = 137-56 = 81 Bismuth = Bi = 209-83 = 126

Carbon = C= 12-6 = 6 Hydrogen = H = 1-1 = 0
Fluorine = F = 19-9 = 10 Magnesium = Mg = 24-12 = 12
Europium = Eu = 152-63 = 89 Mercury = Hg = 201-80 = 121

10 a.) Iron b.) Iodine c.) Helium d) Calcium e) Lead f) Hydrogen

11 a) YES b.) NO c) YES d) NO

12 NOTE****For these, I rounded the average atomic weight to the nearest whole number to get
the mass number for the most abundant isotope. Average Atomic Weight does not equal Mass
Number. Tomorrow, I will either give you the mass number or you will have to figure it out by
adding the protons and the neutrons

Z = Atomic Number (see structure packet)

A = Mass Number (see Structure packet)
For the isotopic symbol, the mass number is always written on the top left side of the element
symbol. The atomic number is always written on the bottom left side of the element. The charge
(if there is one) is written on the top right side. (see Structure packet!)

If no charge is given, assume that atom is neutral (equal protons and electrons).

If you are still struggling to remember all the definitions, make notecards or use this acronym
that a colleague of mine (someone who taught many of you bio last year) uses.

“APE MAN”
APE is “Atomic Number = Protons = Electrons” (for neutral atoms only)
MAN is “Mass Number = Atomic Number – Neutrons”

NAME Symbol Z A protons electrons neutrons Symbol

23
A sodium Na 11 23 11 11 12 11Na
35 -1
B chlorine Cl 17 35 17 18 18 17Cl
39
C potassium K 19 39 19 19 20 19K
31
D phosphorus P 15 31 15 15 16 15P
56 +2
E iron Fe 26 56 26 24 30 26Fe
74
F iodine I 53 127 53 53 74 53I
108
G silver Ag 47 108 47 47 61 47 Ag
84
H krypton Kr 36 84 36 36 48 36Kr
110
I tungsten W 74 184 74 74 110 74W
64
J copper Cu 29 64 29 29 35 29Cu
115
K indium In 49 115 49 49 66 49In
197 +1
L gold Au 79 197 79 78 118 79Au
32 -2
M sulfur S 16 32 16 18 16 16S