Chapter 2

Atomic Structure
LEARNING OUTCOMES

Describe the structure of atoms of atomic numbers

1 to 20 using illustrations
State the properties of electrons, protons and
neutrons
Define atomic number and mass number
Define relative atomic mass
Interpret notations of the form ab X
Define isotopy
List the uses of isotopes
Predict the likelihood of an atom forming an ionic
or covalent bond based on atomic structure

Chapter 2

Atomic Structure
Structure of Atoms

An atom is made up of a dense

centre called the nucleus, and a
cloud of electrons surrounding it.
The nucleus has two types of
particles called protons and
neutrons.
The protons are positively charged.
The neutrons have no charge (neutral).

Chapter 2

Atomic Structure
Structure of Atoms

The electrons are negatively

charged.
The number of protons is
always equal to the number
of electrons, so an atom is
electrically neutral.
The relative mass and charge
of each particle is as shown
in the table.

Particle

Relative
mass

Relative
electric
charge

Proton

1+

Neutron

Electron

__1_
1 836

Chapter 2

Atomic Structure
Proton number and Nucleon number

The proton number of an

atom is equal to the number
of protons in the atom.
The proton number is also
called the atomic number.

The proton number of the atom shown above is 3.

Chapter2

Atomic Structure
Nucleon number

The nucleon number of an

atom is equal to the total
number of protons and
neutrons in the atom.
The nucleon number is also
called the mass number since
the protons and neutrons give
the atom its mass.

The nucleon number for the atom shown is 6.

Chapter 2

Atomic Structure
Atomic symbol

The structure of an atom can be written in symbol form as:

Nucleon
number
Proton
number

a
b

E.g. What are the atomic particles found in

an atom of fluorine, 199 F ?
ANSWER: 9 protons
9 electrons
10 neutrons (19 9 =10 )

Chapter 2

Atomic Structure
Electron arrangement

The electrons surround the nucleus like a cloud and

move around it in fixed orbits or shells.
Each shell is numbered 1, 2, 3, 4 and so on, going
outwards from the nucleus.
Each shell can hold a certain maximum number of
electrons.
The maximum number of electrons each shell can hold
is given by:
1st shell = 2
2nd shell = 8
3rd shell = 8 ( for the first 20 elements in the Periodic Table )

Chapter 2

Atomic Structure
Electron arrangement

The electron arrangement

of an atom is also called
its electronic structure.

1st shell
Na

The electronic structure can also be stated as a

series of numbers called the electron configuration.

The electronic configuration of the sodium atom

shown is: 2.8.1

2nd shell
3rd shell

Chapter 2

Atomic Structure
Outer Electrons

The electrons in the outermost shell are called the outer

electrons or valence electrons.

Valence electrons

Chapter 5

Atomic Structure
Isotopes

Isotopes are atoms of the same element which have the

same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.
Isotopes are chemically alike in all aspects, except for their
masses. However, some isotopes are radioactive.
Hydrogen has three isotopes 11H, 21H and 31H.

Isotopes of hydrogen

21H is called deuterium,

water and the Sun.

H is called tritium. Both isotopes are found in sea

Chapter 5

Atomic Structure
Isotopes

Chlorine exists as two main isotopes: 3517Cl (75%)

and 3717Cl (25%).
The average atomic mass of chlorine is given by the
weighted mean of the two isotopes:
0.75 x 35 + 0.25 x 37 = 35.5
Hence, in the Periodic Table the atomic mass of
chlorine is given as 35.517Cl.

Chapter 5

Atomic Structure
Ions

In an atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons, so an atom is electrically neutral.
However, atoms can lose or gain electrons to form charged particles called ions.

Atoms form ions so that they can have the stable electronic structure of a noble gas such as helium, neon or argon.

A sodium atom (2.8.1), gives away its 1 outer electron to form a positively charged
sodium ion, Na+ (2.8), which has the same electronic structure as neon.

Chapter 5

Atomic Structure
Positive and negative Ions

If an atom gives away its outer electrons, then it has more

protons than electrons and becomes a positively charged
ion.
If an atom takes in electrons, then it has more electrons than
protons, and it becomes a negatively charged ion.
Examples:
Mg Mg2+ + 2e(Mg loses two electrons to form a positive ion, Mg2+)
Cl + e- Cl(Cl gains one electron to form a negative ion, Cl-)

Chapter 2

Atomic Structure
Positive and Negative Ions

Chapter 2

Atomic Structure
Ions of metals and non-metals

Metals e.g. sodium, calcium and aluminium which have

less than 4 electrons in their outermost shells, always
give away electrons to form positive ions.
Non-metals like chlorine, oxygen and nitrogen which
have more than 4 electrons in their outer shell, take in
electrons to form negative ions.

Chapter 2

Atomic Structure
Molecules of elements and compounds
A molecule is made up of two or more atoms chemically joined together.
Molecules of elements are made up of the same kind of atoms.

Molecules of elements

Molecules of compounds are made up of two or more different kinds of

atoms.

Molecules of compounds

Chapter 2

Atomic Structure

Quick check 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

6.

The nucleus of an atom contains ______ and _______.

A proton has a relative mass of _____ and a relative charge of
________ .
An electron has a ______ mass and a charge of ______ .
A neutron has a relative mass of _____ and a charge of _______ .
An atom of potassium is represented by the symbol 3919K. How
many protons, electrons and neutrons are there in a potassium
atom?
An atom of chlorine contains 17 protons, 18 neutrons and 17
electrons. Write the atomic symbol for chlorine.

Solution

Chapter 2

Atomic Structure
Quick check 2
1.
2.

What are isotopes? Give an example of an element

with isotopes.
The table below shows four atoms.
Atom

Nucleon
number

Proton
number

14

15

15

16

Number of
neutrons

Number of
electrons

(a) Complete the table.

(b) Which two atoms
are isotopes?
(c) Which atom has the
greatest
mass?
Solution

Chapter 2

Atomic Structure
Quick check 3
1. Calcium is in Period IV, Group 2 of the Periodic Table. Deduce
the electronic structure of calcium.
2. Complete the following equations:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)

3.
4.

Li Li+ + __eMg Mg2+ + __

Cl + e- ____
S + ____ S2Al ____ + 3e-

Complete the table on the right.

Draw the electronic structure
the following:
(a) boron,
(b) phosphorus,
(c) chloride ion,
(d) calcium ion.

Element No. of No. of

Formula
protons electrons of ion
Na

11

Ca

20

of Br
O

10
Ca2+
36

Br O2-

Solution

Chapter 2

Atomic Structure
Solution to Quick check 1

5.

The nucleus of an atom contains protons and neutrons.

A proton has a relative mass of 1 and a relative charge of
+1 .
An electron has a negligible mass and a charge
of - 1.
A neutron has a relative mass of 1 and a charge
of 0 .
19 protons, 19 electrons and 20 neutrons.

6.

35

1.
2.
3.
4.

17

Cl
Return

Chapter 2

Atomic Structure
Solution to Quick check 2
1.

2.

Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons
but different numbers of neutrons.
An example of an element with isotopes is hydrogen.
Atom

Nucleon
number

Proton
number

Number of
neutrons

Number of
electrons

14

15

15

16

(b) Which two atoms are isotopes? A and C

(c) Which atom has the greatest mass? D

Return

Chapter 2

Atomic Structure
Solution to Quick check 3
1.

2.

3.

The electronic structure of

Element No. of No. of
Formula
calcium is 2.8.8.2
protons electrons of ion
(a) Li Li+ + eNa
11
10
Na+
(b) Mg Mg2+ + 2e(c) Cl + e- ClCa
20
18
Ca2+
(d) S + 2e- S2Br
35
36
Br (e) Al Al3+ + 3eO
8
10
O2Complete the table on the right.

Return

Chapter 2

Atomic Structure
Solution to Quick check 3
4.

(a) boron

(c) chloride ion

(b) phosphorus

(d) calcium ion

Return

Chapter 2

Atomic Structure
To learn more about Atomic Structure,
click on the links below!
1.
2.
3.
4.

http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/08365/h&patoms.htm
http://web.jjay.cuny.edu/~acarpi/NSC/3-atoms.htm
http://www.chem4kids.com/files/atom_structure.html
http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/isotopes/