Section 3: How Atoms Differ

The number of protons and the mass number define the type of atom.
K W L
What I Know What I Want to Find Out What I Learned
Essential Questions
• How is the atomic number used to determine the identity of an
atom?
• Why are atomic masses not whole numbers?
• Given the mass number and atomic number, how are the number
of electrons, protons, and neutrons in an atom calculated?

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Vocabulary
Review New
• periodic table • atomic number
• isotope
• mass number
• atomic mass unit (amu)
• atomic mass

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Atomic Number
• Each element contains a unique positive charge in their nucleus.
• The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom identifies the element
and is known as the element’s atomic number.

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Atomic Number

Use with Example Problem 1.

Problem
Complete the table at right.

Response
ANALYZE THE PROBLEM
Apply the relationship among KNOWN
atomic number, number of protons,
a. element = Pb, atomic number = 82
and number of electrons to
complete most of the table. Then, b. number of protons = 8
use the periodic table to identify the c. number of electrons = 30
element.
UNKNOWN
a. number of protons (Np), number of electrons (Ne) = ?
b. element, atomic number (Z), Ne = ?
c. element, Z, Np = ?

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Atomic Number
SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
• Consult the periodic table to identify the
SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN element.
• Apply the atomic number relationship. The element is oxygen (O).
Substitute atomic number = 82. • Apply the atomic number relationship.
a. Number of protons = atomic number Substitute number of electrons = 30.
Np = 82 c. Number of protons = number of electrons
Number of electrons = number of protons Np = 30
Ne = 82 Atomic number = number of protons
The number of protons and the number of Z = 30
electrons is 82. The atomic number and the number of
• Apply the atomic number relationship. protons is 30.
Substitute number of protons = 8. • Consult the periodic table to identify the
b. Atomic number = number of protons Z element.
=8 The element is zinc (Zn).
Number of electrons = number of protons
EVALUATE THE ANSWER
Ne = 8
The answers agree with atomic numbers
The atomic number and the number of and element symbols given in the periodic
electrons is 8. table.
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Isotopes and Mass Number
• All atoms of a particular element have the same number of protons and
electrons but the number of neutrons in the nucleus can differ.
• Atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons
are called isotopes.
• In nature, most elements are found as mixtures of isotopes. Usually, the
relative abundance of each isotope is constant.
– Example: In a banana, 93.26% is potassium-39, 6.73% is potassium-41 and
0.01% is potassium-40. In another banana or in a different source of
potassium, the percentage composition of the potassium isotopes will still be
the same.
• Isotopes containing more neutrons have a greater mass.
• Isotopes of an atom have the same chemical behavior.

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Isotopes and Mass Number
• The mass number is the sum of the protons and neutrons in the nucleus.

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Use Atomic Number and Mass Number
Response
Use with Example Problem 2. ANALYZE THE PROBLEM
Problem You are given some data for neon in the
A chemistry laboratory has analyzed the table. The symbol for neon can be found on
composition of isotopes of several elements. the periodic table. From the atomic number,
The composition data is given in the table the number of protons and electrons in the
below. Determine the number of protons, isotope are known. The number of neutrons
electrons, and neutrons in the isotope of in the isotope can be found by subtracting
neon. Name the isotope and give its symbol. the atomic number from the mass number.

KNOWN UNKNOWN
Element: neon Number of protons (Np),
electrons (Ne), and
Neutrons (Nn) = ?
Atomic Name of isotope = ?
number = 10
Mass number Symbol for isotope = ?
= 22

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Use Atomic Number and Mass Number

SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN

• Apply the atomic number relationship. • Use the chemical symbol, mass number,
number of protons = atomic number = 10 and atomic number to write out the
isotope in symbolic notation form.
number of electrons = atomic number = 10
The symbol for the isotope is 𝟐𝟐 Ne.
• Use the atomic number and the mass 𝟏𝟎

number to calculate the number of EVALUATE THE ANSWER

neutrons. Substitute mass number = 22 and
The relationships among number of
atomic number = 10.
electrons, protons, and neutrons have
number of neutrons = been applied correctly. The isotope’s
mass number – atomic number name and symbol are in the correct format.
Nn = 22 – 10 = 12 Refer to the Elements Handbook to learn
more about neon.
• Use the element name and mass number to
write the isotope’s name.
The name of the isotope is neon-22.

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Mass of Atoms
• One atomic mass unit (amu) is defined as 1/12th the mass of a carbon-12
atom.
• One amu is nearly, but not exactly, equal to one proton and one neutron.

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Mass of Atoms
• The atomic mass of an element is the weighted average mass of the
isotopes of that element.

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Calculate Atomic Mass
KNOWN UNKNOWN
6X:mass = 6.015 amu Atomic mass of X
Use with Example Problem 3. abundance = 7.59% = 0.0759 = ? amu
Problem 7X:mass = 7.016 amu Element X = ?
Given the data in the table, calculate the abundance = 92.41% = 0.9241
atomic mass of unknown Element X.
Then, identify the unknown element, SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN
which is used medically to treat some • Calculate 6X’s contribution. Substitute mass =
mental disorders. 6.015 amu and abundance = 0.0759.
6X: mass contribution =
Response
ANALYZE THE PROBLEM (mass)(percent abundance)
Calculate the atomic mass and use the mass contribution =
periodic table to confirm. (6.015 amu)(0.0759) = 0.456 amu
• Calculate 7X’s contribution. Substitute mass =
7.016 amu and abundance = 0.9241.
7X: mass contribution =
(mass)(percent abundance)
mass contribution =
(7.016 amu)(0.9241) = 6.483 amu
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Calculate Atomic Mass
EVALUATE THE ANSWER
The result of the calculation agrees with the
SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWN atomic mass given in the periodic table.
• Total the mass contributions to find the The masses of the isotopes have four
atomic mass. significant figures, so the atomic mass is
also expressed with four significant figures.
atomic mass of X =
Refer to the Elements Handbook to learn
(0.4565 amu + 6.483 amu) = 6.939 amu
more about lithium.
• Identify the element using the periodic
table.
The element with a mass nearest 6.939 amu is
lithium (Li).

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Review
Essential Questions
• How is the atomic number used to determine the identity of an atom?
• Why are atomic masses not whole numbers?
• Given the mass number and atomic number, how are the number of
electrons, protons, and neutrons in an atom calculated?
Vocabulary
• atomic number • mass number • atomic mass
• isotope • atomic mass unit (amu)

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