CHAPTER 5

Atomic Structure

© 2013 Marshall Cavendish International (Singapore) Private Limited

Chapter 5 Atomic Structure

5.1 Inside Atoms

5.2 The Proton Number and Nucleon Number

5.3 Isotopes

5.4 Arrangement of Electrons in Atoms

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5.1 Inside Atoms

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this section, you should be able to:

• state the relative charges and masses of a proton,

a neutron and an electron;

• describe the structure of an atom.

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5.1 Inside Atoms

What are Atoms Made up of?

Atoms are made up of 3 sub-atomic particles:

• protons;

• neutrons;

• electrons.

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5.1 Inside Atoms

Where are these Sub-Atomic Particles Found?

Nucleus
• protons (+ve)
• neutrons (neutral)

Shells around the nucleus

• electrons (–ve)

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5.1 Inside Atoms

Proton

• Represented by the letter, p

• Found in the nucleus

• Relative mass = 1

• Relative charge = +1

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5.1 Inside Atoms

Neutron

• Represented by the letter, n

• Found in the nucleus

• Relative mass = 1

• Relative charge = 0

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5.1 Inside Atoms

Electro
n

• Represented by the letter, e

• Found in shells surrounding

nucleus
1
• Relative mass =
1840
• Relative charge = –1
e

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5.1 Inside Atoms

Summary of Sub-Atomic Particles

Particle Symbol Relative mass Relative charge

proton p 1 +1

neutron n 1 0

1
electron e –1
1840

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Chapter 5 Atomic Structure

5.1 Inside Atoms

5.2 The Proton Number and Nucleon Number

5.3 Isotopes

5.4 Arrangement of Electrons in Atoms

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5.2 The Proton Number and Nucleon
Number

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this section, you should be able to:

• define proton (atomic) number and nucleon (mass)

number;

• deduce the number of protons, neutrons and

electrons in an atom;

• interpret and use symbols that represent an

element’s nucleon and proton numbers (ZA X ).

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5.2 The Proton Number and Nucleon
Number

Proton Number (Z)

The number of protons in an atom is called its proton
number.
It is also known as the atomic number.

Since an atom is electrically neutral (i.e. has no overall

charge),

Proton number = number of electrons

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5.2 The Proton Number and Nucleon
Number

Proton Numbers
Each element has a unique proton number.

Atoms of different elements have different proton

numbers.
Example

Proton number of carbon = 6

Any atom with 6 protons must be

a carbon atom.

nucleus of a carbon
atom 13
5.2 The Proton Number and Nucleon
Number

Where is the proton number of an element

found in the Periodic Table?

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Na
Sodium

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Proton
number
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5.2 The Proton Number and Nucleon
Number

Exercise

1. Find the proton number of the atoms of the

following elements:
(a) Nitrogen 7
(b) Helium 2
(c) Sulfur 16

2. Which element has a proton number of

(a) 17? Chlorine
(b) 3? Lithium
(c) 20? Calcium
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5.2 The Proton Number and Nucleon
Number

Nucleon Number (A)

The total number of protons and number of neutrons

in an atom is called the nucleon number.

Nucleon number is also known as mass number.

The mass of an atom depends on the number of

protons and neutrons.

Nucleon number (A) = number of protons + number of neutrons

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Chapter 5 Atomic Structure

5.1 Inside Atoms

5.2 The Proton Number and Nucleon Number

5.3 Isotopes

5.4 Arrangement of Electrons in Atoms

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5.3 Isotopes

Learning Outcome

At the end of this section, you should be able to:

• define isotopes.

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5.3 Isotopes

Isotopes of Hydrogen
These are 3 atoms of hydrogen.

Hydrogen-1 Hydrogen-2 Hydrogen-3

What are the similarities and differences of these 3 atoms?

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5.3 Isotopes

What are Isotopes?

Isotopes are atoms of the same element with the

same number of protons but different numbers of
neutrons.

Example 1

35 37 Chlorine gas consists of

17 Cl 17 Cl 75% chlorine-35, 25%
chlorine-37.

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5.3 Isotopes

What are Isotopes?

Example 2

14 13 12
C C C Carbon consists of 98.93%
6 6 6
carbon-12, 1.07% carbon-13,
and trace amounts of carbon-
14.

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5.3 Isotopes

Properties of Isotopes

Isotopes have the same chemical properties but

slightly different physical properties.

Same chemical properties are due to

• the same number of electrons;
• only electrons involved in chemical reactions.

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5.3 Isotopes

Properties of Isotopes

Different physical properties are due to

• different relative atomic masses;

• result in different densities, melting and boiling

points.

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5.3 Isotopes

Uses of Isotopes

Isotopes that emit high-energy radiation are called

radioisotopes.

They are radioactive substances. The radiation

emitted is dangerous because it can damage living
cells and cause cancer.

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5.3 Isotopes

Uses of Isotopes
However, radioisotopes can have important applications
and can be safely used if they are handled properly.

For example, smoke detectors use a radioisotope.

Smoke entering the smoke detector absorbs the
radiation. This sets off an alarm in the smoke detector.

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5.3 Isotopes

Protons, Neutrons, Electrons and Isotopes

Review

Uses of Isotopes

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Chapter 5 Atomic Structure

5.1 Inside Atoms

5.2 The Proton Number and Nucleon Number

5.3 Isotopes

5.4 Arrangement of Electrons in Atoms

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5.4 Arrangement of Electrons in Atoms

Learning Outcome
At the end of this section, you should be able to:

• use diagrams to describe atoms as containing:

– protons and neutrons in nucleus;
– electrons arranged in the electron shells
(energy levels).

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5.4 Arrangement of Electrons in Atoms

Electronic Structure
Electrons move around the nucleus in regions
known as electron shells.

The 1st shell

• is closest to the nucleus;
• holds a maximum of 2 electrons;
• is always filled first;
• has the lowest energy level.

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5.4 Arrangement of Electrons in Atoms

Electronic Structure

The 2nd shell

• can hold up to 8 electrons;
• has higher energy than 1st shell.

The 3rd shell

• can usually hold up to 8
electrons;
• is filled up after the 2nd shell.

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5.4 Arrangement of Electrons in Atoms

Electronic Configuration/ Electronic Structure

Electronic configuration/structure is the arrangement of
electrons in an atom.

Magnesium atom (Z = 12)

1st shell: 2 electrons

2nd shell: 8 electrons

Nucleus
3rd shell: 2 electrons
12p, 12n
Magnesium atom

Electronic configuration = 2, 8, 2 31
5.4 Arrangement of Electrons in Atoms

Valence Shell and Valence Electrons

The valence shell or outer shell of an atom refers to the
shell that is furthest away from the nucleus of the atom.

Valence electrons are the electrons found in the valence

shell.

Valence shell/ Magnesium has

outer shell 2 valence electrons

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Magnesium atom
5.4 Arrangement of Electrons in Atoms

Valence Electrons
The chemical properties of an element depend on the
number of valence electrons.

Example 1
Sodium (2, 8, 1) and Potassium (2, 8, 8, 1)
• have similar chemical properties;
• each has 1 valence electron.

Example 2
Fluorine (2, 7) and Chlorine (2, 8, 7)
• have similar chemical properties;
• each has 7 valence electrons.
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5.4 Arrangement of Electrons in Atoms

The Periodic Table

Elements are arranged in order of increasing proton number.

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5.4 Arrangement of Electrons in Atoms

The Periodic Table

Horizontal rows of elements
are called periods.

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Vertical columns of elements are called groups.
5.4 Arrangement of Electrons in Atoms

Valence Electrons and the Periodic Table

Elements with the same number of valence electrons

belong to the same group in the Periodic Table.

Sodium (2, 8, 1) and potassium (2, 8, 8, 1) belong to Group I.

Fluorine (2, 7) and chlorine (2, 8, 7) belong to Group VII.

Hence, elements in the same group of the Periodic Table

have similar chemical properties.

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Chapter 5 Atomic Structure

Concept Map

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Chapter 5 Atomic Structure

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