1

ATOMS, MOLECULES AND

STOICHIOMETRY
Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. Everything around
us consists of matter.
Matter is classified into two main groups, elements and compounds.
Elements are substances that cannot be broken down into simpler
substances. They contain only one type of atom. The particles in elements
can be atoms or molecules. For example, sodium and magnesium contain
atoms while oxygen and nitrogen contain molecules.
Compounds are substances that contain more than one type of atoms
combined chemically. The particles in compounds can be molecules or
ions. For example, water and carbon dioxide contain molecules while
sodium chloride and magnesium oxide contain ions.
Subatomic particles were discovered during the 1800s. We will concentrate
only on the fundamental subatomic particles, which are the protons,
neutrons and electrons.
We will also study how atoms combine in simple ratios, that is, the
stoichiometry of reactions.

 Concept Map

Atoms

Subatomic Proton number and Relative atomic • Mole and Avogadro’s

particles nucleon number mass based on 12C constant
• Mole concept of
gases and solutions
Relative charge Stable and Mass spectrometry
and relative mass unstable isotopes

Mass spectrum
Behaviour in
electric field and
magnetic field

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 1 Atoms, Molecules and Stoichiometry 3

Solution
1 mol of 12C has a mass of 12 g.
1 mol of 12C contains 6.02 × 1023 atoms.
12
⬖ Mass of 1 atom of 12C = = 1.99 × 10–23 g
6.02 × 1023
Effect of an Electric Field on Subatomic Particles
1 When a beam of protons, neutrons and electrons is passed through LINK TO STPM
an electric field, the observations are shown in Figure 1.1. 2003/P2/Q1
−
protons
beam of protons,
α neutrons
electrons and
neutrons β  Figure 1.1
+

electrons

2 The positive protons are deflected towards the negative plate. The
negative electrons are deflected towards the positive plate while
the neutrons, being electrically neutral, are undeflected.
3 The lighter electrons are deflected more than the heavier protons,
that is, ␣ < ␤.

Effect of a Magnetic Field on Subatomic Particles

1 When a beam of protons, neutrons and electrons is passed through
an electric field, the observations are shown in Figure 1.2.
TAKE NOTE!
The deflections of the protons
North protons and electrons in a magnetic
pole of field can be determined by
magnet
using Fleming’s left hand
beam of protons,
rule.
electrons and
neutrons
neutrons

electrons

South
pole of
magnet

Left Hand Rule  Figure 1.2

direction
of force

magnetic
field

direction
of current

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 8 ACE AHEAD Chemistry First Term

TAKE NOTE! 14 The stability of radioisotopes is measured by its half-life. The

Radioactive disintegration shorter the half-life, the less stable the radioisotope.
is a first order reaction. The
half-life of a radioisotope is 15 The half-lives of some radioisotopes are given in Table 1.6.
independent of the amount
of the radioactive substance Radioisotope Half-life
present and is not influenced
by catalyst or changes in Iodine-131 8.14 days
temperature and pressure. Carbon-14 5760 years
Uranium-238 4.51 × 109 years
Radium-226 1602 years
 Table 1.6

CHEM FILE EXAMPLE 1.4

Radium was discovered in
1898 by Marie S. Curie
Uranium-235 decays by emitting an alpha particle.
and her husband Pierre. Determine the proton number and the nucleon number of the isotope
Radium has 33 isotopes, with formed.
nucleon numbers 202 to
234 and all are unstable. Solution
226
Ra has the longest half-life
of 1602 years. Proton number = 92 – 2 = 90
Nucleon number = 235 – 4 = 231
92U  90Th + 2He
235 231 4

CHEM FILE REFRESHER

When a tree is alive, C-14
is continually disintegrating,
and it is continually being
replaced by photosynthesis.
However, when the tree dies,
photosynthesis does not take
place. Only disintegration
is occurring and the C-14
concentration in the tree
begins to decrease. By
measuring the C-14 level in
the tree, it is possible to
tell how long the tree has
been dead. This is called
carbon dating.
1 The fundamental particles in an atom are protons, neutrons and
electrons.
2 Protons are positively charged, electrons are negatively charged
and neutrons are neutral.
3 Protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus while electrons
move around the nucleus in specific energy levels.
4 A neutral atom has an equal number of protons and electrons.
5 A positive ion is formed when an atom or molecule loses electrons.
A negative ion is formed when an atom or molecule receives
electrons.
6 Isotopes are atoms of an element that have the same number of
protons but different number of neutrons.
7 Unstable isotopes decay spontaneously.

Checkpoint 1.1
1 Determine the number of subatomic particles of the following species.
(a) 21D2168O (b) 188O2− (c) [147N168O3]−
2 A beam of 1H+ and 16O– ions is passed into an electric field as shown in the diagram below.
+
path X
beam of
1 + x
H and
16 − y
O ions

path Y

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 24 ACE AHEAD Chemistry First Term

Focus on Exam 1
OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS

1 Which combination shows the correct A The relative atomic mass of sulphur is 32 g.
number of electrons and neutrons of the B A sulphur atom has 32 electrons.
respective species? C 16 g of sulphur contain 6.02 × 1023 atoms.
D There are 16 protons and 16 neutrons in
Species Number of Number of the nucleus of a sulphur atom.
electrons neutrons
A 14
6 C− 6 8 6 The mass ratio of one atom of an isotope
18
of Q to one atom of carbon-12 is 1.50.
B 8 O2− 10 10
What is the relative isotopic mass of the
C 24
11 Na+ 10 11 isotope of Q?
37
A 8.0 C 15.0
D 17Cl2+ 19 20 B 10.0 D 18.0

2 An atom P has a nucleon number of 48. 7 The function of the magnetic field in a
P forms P2+ ion which is isoelectronic with mass spectrometer is to
40
20Ar atom. Which of the following shows A vaporise a solid sample
the correct number of protons, electrons B produce positive ions
and neutrons in an atom of P? C separate ions with different masses
D separate ions from neutral molecules
Protons Electrons Neutrons
A 20 20 28 8 Which species will be deflected the most in
a mass spectrometer?
B 22 20 26
A 21H+ C 126 C+
C 22 22 26
D 22 22 22 B 73Li+ D 147N2+

9 The nitrogen dioxide molecule, NO2,

Clone STPM 2004/P1/Q8
consists of 14N, 16O and 18O isotopes. How
many molecular peaks would there be in the
3 Which ion has the same number of protons mass spectrum of a sample of NO2?
and neutrons but has more electrons than A1 C3
protons? B2 D4
A 2H+ C [16O2H]–
2 16 +
B [ H3 O] D [32S18O4]2– 10 The mass spectrum of a compound showing
some major peaks is shown below.
4 Silver has two isotopes, 107 109
47Ag and 47 Ag. If
the relative atomic mass of silver is 107.87,
relative intensity

what is the percentage abundance of the

heavier isotope?
A 35.7% C 56.5%
B 43.5% D 59.2%
12 14 28 m/e
32
5 The symbol of a sulphur atom is S. Which 16 Which compound will give the above mass
statement is true regarding sulphur? spectrum?

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 1 Atoms, Molecules and Stoichiometry 25

[Relative atomic mass: H, 1; C, 12; N, 14; [Avogadro’s constant = 6.02 × 1023 mol–1]
O, 16] 44
A N2 C CO A 44 × 6.02 × 1023 C
6.02 × 1023
B C2H4 D NO 23
B 6.02 × 10 D 1
11 An element Y occurs naturally as 65Y and 44 44 × 6.02 × 1023
67
Y in the ratio of 2 : 1. Based on this 16 The formula of a type of polystyrene
information, which graph could represent is Br3C6H3(C8H8)n. One sample of the
the mass spectrum of Y2? polystyrene contains 10.46% bromine.
A C What is the value of n?
% abundance

% abundance
[Relative atomic mass: H, 1; C, 12; Br, 80]
A3 C 19
B 12 D 22
m/e m/e 17 0.85 g of magnesium powder is reacted
65 67 130 132 134
with 2.0 mol dm–3 hydrochloric acid. What
B D is the volume of hydrochloric acid required
for complete reaction?
% abundance

% abundance

[Relative atomic mass: Mg, 24.3]

A 17.5 cm3 C 42.5 cm3
3
B 35.0 cm D 70.0 cm3
m/e m/e
130 132 134 130 132 134 A B C D
12 The relative atomic mass of Sr based on 90 1 only 1 and 2 only 2 and 3 only 1, 2 and 3
the 16O standard is 89.936. Based on the 12C
standard, the relative atomic mass of 16O is 18 Which statement(s) is/are true about the
15.995. What is the relative atomic mass of isotopes 168 X and 188Y ?
90
Sr based on the 12C standard? 1 They are isotopes of the same element.
A 89.908 C 89.964 2 The 168 X isotope has more neutrons per
B 89.931 D 90.000 atom than the 188Y isotope.
3 They have the same density.
13 The compound NCl3 is formed from 14N,
35
Cl and 37Cl isotopes. The relative abundance 19 Which statement(s) is/are true of the
28 30
of 35Cl to 37Cl is 3:1. Which statement about nuclides of silicon, 14Si and 14Si?
the mass spectrum of NCl3 is true? 1 The mass spectrum shows two peaks.
28 30
A The base peak corresponds to N+ ion. 2 14SiCl4 and 14SiCl4 molecules have different
B The m/e value for the last peak is 123. shapes.
28
C The number of peaks for NCl3+ ion is 4. 3 Isotope 14Si is more reactive than isotope
30
14Si.
D The relative abundance of N35Cl3+ ion to
N37Cl3+ ion is 3:1. STPM 2010/P1/Q41
STPM 2010/P1/Q1
20 Which statement(s) is/are true about the
14 0.1 dm3 of argon contains x atoms. How isotope ZAX?
many atoms are there in 0.2 dm3 of 1 Its relative isotopic mass is A g.
hydrogen gas under the same conditions? 2 Its relative isotopic mass is based on the
Ax C 2x 12
C standard.
2 3 The isotope ZAX and its ion ZAX 2+ have the
Bx D 4x
same relative mass.
15 The relative molecular mass of carbon
dioxide is 44. What is the mass, in g, of a 21 A sample of bromine gas contains 79Br and
81
carbon dioxide molecule? Br isotopes. Which mass/charge ratio(s)

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