THE ATOM & ELEMENT

CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERS

The Atom
▪ Building blocks of matter.

▪ The smallest particle of an element

▪ Defines the unique characteristics of an element.

▪ Neil Bohr’s model of atom is composed mainly of positively

charged nucleus at the center and negatively charged one or
more electrons, 𝑒 − revolving at certain shells.

▪ Nucleus is composed of positively charged protons, 𝑝+ and no

charge neutrons, 𝑛.

.
Properties of the Subparticles of the Atom

Subparticle Electrical Charge Rest Mass

Proton Positive, + 𝑚𝑝 = 1.673 𝑥 10−27 𝑘𝑔
Neutron Neutral 𝑚𝑛 = 1.675 𝑥 10−27 𝑘𝑔
Electron Negative, - 𝑚𝑒 = 9.10956 𝑥 10−31 𝑘𝑔

Atomic Number = Number of protons in chemical element

Atomic Mass = 𝒎𝒑 + 𝒎 𝒏 + 𝒎𝒆
 Stable; 0 net electrical charge

Atom Isotope; more neutrons; radioactive

Unstable Ion; unequal electrical charges;

cation & anion

Antimatter; twin atoms of opposite

electric charge
Isotope : A variant of chemical element in possession of
the same number of protons and electrons but a
different number of neutrons.

: A variant of an element that differ in nucleon number

due to number of neutrons.

Isotopes of 𝐂arbon: C-12; C-13; C-14

Isotopes of Uranium: U-238; U-235; U-234
Isotopes of H: H-1; H-2; H-3; H-4; H-5; H-6; H-7
Ion : variant of atom or group of atoms that carries a positive or
negative charge as a result of having lost or gained one or more
electrons.

: Electrolyte

: Positively charged ion or cation and negatively charged ion or

anion

: Simple ion is formed from single atom and polyatomic ion is

formed from more than one atoms.
Antimatter : A twin matter but composed of sub particles of
opposite charge.

: Antiproton for proton; antielectron or positron

for electrons; and antineutron for neutrons.
Element
The simplest form of matter.

The most pure of all pure substances

Periodic Table of Chemical Elements
 Symbol of Chemical Element

▪ One-lettered symbol - First letter of the name of the chemical element in capital
letter; H, B, C, N, O

▪ Two-lettered symbol - First and the second letter of the name of the chemical
element; First in capital letter, the second in small letter; He, Ca, Li, Br, Al

• Two-lettered symbol - First and the third letter of the name of the chemical element;
First in capital letter, the third in small letter; Mn, Mg, Cr, Zn, Cs

▪ Derived from Latin, Greek or Swiss name; Au (Aurum), Ag (Argentum), W (Tungsten),

K (Kalium), Na (Natrium)
 Periodic Table of Chemical Elements

▪ Dimitri Mendeleev, the father of Periodic Table of Chemical Elements;

▪ Henry Moseley proposed Modern Periodic Law – The properties of the chemical
element are functions of their atomic numbers;

▪ 118 chemical elements; 92 naturally occurring; 26 laboratory-synthesized ;

▪ Chemical elements are arranged in order of increasing atomic number;

▪ Chemical elements are denoted by unique symbol using one, two or three
letters;

▪ Chemical elements are arranged in vertical columns or Groups and Families

and horizontal rows or Periods.
 Elements

Metals Transition metals Non metals

Alkali metals & Lanthanide & Pnictogens, Chalcogens,

Alkaline earth metals Actinides Halogens & Noble gases

▪ Malleable ▪ Malleable ▪ Brittle

▪ Ductile ▪ Ductile ▪ Poor thermal conductivity
▪ Good thermal conductivity ▪ Good thermal conductivity ▪ Poor electrical conductivity
▪ Good electrical conductivity ▪ Good electrical conductivity ▪ Non lustrous and cannot be polished
▪ Luster ▪ Luster ▪ Non tough
▪ Sonorous ▪ Sonorous ▪ High ionization energy
▪ High tensile stress ▪ High tensile stress ▪ High electronegativity
▪ Hard and tough ▪ Hard and tough
▪ High melting point
▪ High densities
Alkali metals
▪ Group 1 elements except H ;

▪ Do not exist as free metal and exist as earth minerals;

▪ Oxidation state is 1+

▪ Good reductants or reducing agent;

Alkaline earth metals

▪ Group 2 elements

▪ Oxidation state is 2 +
Transition metals
▪ Partially filled d orbitals;

▪ First transition series: elements of Period 4 group 3-11;

▪ Second transition series: elements of Period 5 group 3-11;

▪ Third transition or Lanthanide series: elements of Period 6 group 3-11; and

▪ Fourth transition or Actinide series: elements of Period 7 group 3-11.

▪ Show variable oxidation states;

▪ Have colored ions and compounds;

▪ Form compound with profound catalytic activity; and

▪ Form stable complexes.

Non metals
▪ Groups 13 – 18;

▪ Forms negative ions (anions) except noble gases;

▪ Group 15 - Pnictogen or nitrogen family;

▪ Group 16 – Chalcogen or oxygen family;

▪ Group 17 – Halogen family

▪ Group 18 - Noble gases or inert gases;

Mnemonic Device for Electronic Configuration
1s

2s 2p

3s 3p 3d

4s 4p 4d 4f

5s 5p 5d 5f

6s 6p 6d

7s 7p
 Electronic configuration of a chemical element

1𝑠 2𝑠 2𝑝 3𝑠 3𝑝 4𝑠 3𝑑 4𝑝 5𝑠 4𝑑 5𝑝 6𝑠 4𝑓 …
Where 1, 2, 3, … are the shells of the electrons;

s, p, d, f … are the subshells of the electrons and

s subshell can have a maximum 2 electrons;
p with maximum of 6 electrons;
d with maximum of 10 electrons;
f with maximum of 14 electrons, …
Create an atomic model of the element whose atomic number 8.

Given: Atomic number = 8

Required: Model

Solution: Use Electronic configuration

2
8 X: 1𝑠 2 2𝑠 2 2𝑝4
1

𝑝+ = 8
Functions of Electronic Configuration
1. Predict the Period, Group and Family of an element.
Rule: Period is equal to outermost shell;
Group is equal to number of electrons in the outermost shell,

Note:
if configuration ends with s or p, the group is either 1, 2, 13, 14, 15,
16, 17, or 18 and if it ends with d or f , the group is 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
10, 11, or 12.

Group 1 = IA; Group 2 = IIA; Group 13 = IIIA; Group 14 = IVA;

Group 15 = VA; Group 16 = VIA; Group 17 = VIIA; and Group 18 = VIIIA

Group 3 = IIIB; Group 4 = IVB; Group 5 = VB; Group 6 = VIB;

Group 7 = VIIB; Group 8 - 10 = VIIIB; Group 11 = IB; Group 12 = IIB;
Write the electronic configuration of the following elements and predict the
period, group and family:

a) 11𝑁𝑎 b) 4𝐵𝑒 c) 22𝑇𝑖

2. Predict the Valence Electron of an element
Valence electron is number of electrons in the outer shell of an element.

Group/Family Valence electron Group/Family Valence electron

1/IA 1 3/IIIB 3
2/IIA 2 4/IVB 4
13/IIIA 3 5/VB 5
14/IVA 4 6/VIB 6
15/VA 5 7/VIIB 7
16/VIA 6 VIIIB (8-10) 8, 9, 10
17/VIIA 7 IIB (11) 11
18/VIIIA 2, 8 IB (12) 12
Using the Periodic Table of Elements, predict the corresponding valence electron of the following elements:

a) 7𝑁 b) 20𝐶𝑎 c) 18𝐴𝑟
3. Predict the Valency of an element
Valency is the combining power of an element

Family Valency Family Valency

IA 1 IIIB 3
IIA 2 IVB 4
IIIA 3 VB 5
IVA 4 VIB 6
VA 3, 5 VIIB 2, 4, 7
VIA 6 VIIIB (8-10) 2, 3
VIIA 7 IIB (11)
VIIIA 0 IB (12) 1,2
Using the Periodic Table of Elements, predict the corresponding valency:

a) 11𝑁𝑎 b) 4𝐵𝑒 c) 22 𝑇𝑖
4. Predict the electronegativity of an element

Electronegativity is a measure of the ability of an atom or functional group to pull

electrons from other atom or group towards itself to form bonds.

▪ The stronger an atom or group attracts electrons from another atom or group,
the larger the electronegativity.

▪ In a period, the electronegativity of an element increases from left to right side

of the periodic table due to increase of atomic number, and in a group,
electronegativity increases from the bottom to top due to distance the charged
nucleus and valence electrons, except with Group 18 or Noble gases.
 /
https://chemistrytalk.org/electronegativity-chart-trends
Arrange the following species in increasing electronegativity:

a) Co, K and Br b) O, Te and S c) Ca and 𝐂𝐚2+ d) Cl and 𝐂𝐥 − e) Y, W, Ag, K, Br

Arrange the following species in increasing electronegativity:

a) Co, K and Br

Co = 1.88
K = 0.82
Br = 2.96

K < Co < Br
5. Predict the ionization energy of an element

Ionization energy is the energy requirement to remove electron from a neutral

atom in gaseous state.

▪ The lower ionization energy, the easier the atom become a cation.

▪ In a period, the ionization energy of the elements increases from left to right
due stability of valence shell, and in a group, the ionization energy of the
element increases from bottom to top due to electron shielding.

▪ The noble gases have the highest ionization energy.

https://chem.libretexts.org/
Arrange the following elements in increasing ionization energy:

a) Co, K and Br b) O, Te and S c) Ca and 𝐂𝐚2+ d) Cl and 𝐂𝐥 −

6. Predict the atomic radius of the element.

▪ Atomic radius is the half-distance between the nuclei of two same atoms.

▪ In a period, the atomic radius increases from right to left due to increase of
protons and electrons, and in a group, the atomic radius increases from top
to bottom due increase in quantum number.
Arrange the following elements in increasing atomic radius:

a) Co, K and Br b) O, Te and S c) Ca and 𝐂𝐚𝟐+ d) Cl and 𝐂𝐥−

7. Predict the electron affinity of the element

▪ Electron affinity is the ability of an atom to accept electrons.

▪ In a period, the electron affinity increases from left to right due to decrease
in atomic radius, and in a group, the electron affinity decreases from top to
bottom due to increase in atomic radius.
Arrange the following elements in increasing electron affinity:

a) Co, K and Br b) O, Te and S c) Ca and 𝐂𝐚𝟐+ d) Cl and 𝐂𝐥−

8. Predict the metallic properties of the element

▪ Metallic property is the ability to lose electrons to form cations.

▪ In a period, the metallic properties increases from right to left of the

periodic table, and in a group, the metallic properties increases from
top to bottom.
Arrange the following elements in increasing metallic properties:

a) Co, K and Br b) O, Te and S c) Ca and 𝐂𝐚𝟐+ d) Cl and 𝐂𝐥−

References

Blaber, Mike & Shrestha, Binod (2022). Metals, Nonmetals and Metalloid. Accessed on July 15, 2022 at https://chem.libretexts.org/

Contakes, Stephen (2022). The Group 1, The Alkali Metals. Accessed on July 15, 2022 at https://chem.libretexts.org/

Eames, Emily V (2020). Properties of Nonmetals. Accessed on July 15, 2022 at https://chem.libretexts.org/

Flowers, Paul & Lancashire, Robert (2020). General Properties of Transition Metals. Accessed on July 15, 2022 at
https://chem.libretexts.org/

Gaffney, Jeffrey S. and Marley, Nancy A. (2018). General Chemistry for Engineers. Netherland: Elvesier, Inc

Yen, The Fu (2008). Chemistry for Engineers. London: Imperial College Press