Name Date Class

Section
6.1 Atoms and Their Interactions SC.B.1.4.2 The student understands that there is conservation of mass and energy when
matter is transformed. SC.F.1.4.1 The student knows that the body processes involve spe-
cific biochemical reactions governed by biochemical principles. Also covers SC.G.1.4.2

◗ Before You Read

In this section you will learn about the smallest particles that make up everything you can see, feel,
or touch. Think about what living and nonliving things have in common. On the lines below, write a
sentence explaining your ideas.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

◗ Read to Learn
Elements
Everything—whether it is a rock, frog, or flower—is made of
things called elements. An element is a substance that cannot be
broken down into simpler chemical substances. Suppose you
found a nugget of pure gold. You could grind it into a billion bits Identify
of powder and every tiny bit would still be gold. You could treat Definitions Highlight the
the gold with every chemical there is, but the gold would never definition of each word that
Copyright © by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

break down into simpler substances. That is because gold is appears in bold.
an element.
Natural Elements in Living Things Only about 25 of the ele-
ments on Earth are needed by living organisms. Four of these ele-
ments—carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen—together make
up more than 96 percent of the mass of a human body. Mass is 1. What is an element?
the measure of matter a body contains. Other elements are ________________________
needed by organisms but only in very small amounts. These ele-
ments are called trace elements. Plants get trace elements by tak- ________________________
ing them in through their roots. Animals get trace elements from
the foods they eat. ________________________
Each element has an abbreviation made of one or two letters.
The abbreviation is called a symbol. For example, the symbol C
stands for carbon. H stands for hydrogen. O stands for oxygen.
N stands for nitrogen. As mentioned above, these elements are
important to the human body.

READING ESSENTIALS Chapter 6 53

Name Date Class

Section
6.1 Atoms and Their Interactions, continued

Atoms: The Building Blocks of Elements

All elements are made of atoms. Atoms are small particles that
are the basic building blocks of all matter.

What is the structure of an atom?

2. What are the two types
All atoms have the same basic structure. The center of the atom
of charged particles in is the nucleus (NEW klee us; the plural of nucleus is nuclei). All
an atom? nuclei contain positively charged particles called protons, which
________________________
give the nuclei a positive charge. Most nuclei also contain neu-
trons. These are particles with no charge. The space around the
________________________ nucleus contains negatively charged particles called electrons.
Electrons are held in this space by their attraction to the positively
charged nucleus. The space in which electrons stay is divided into
energy levels. The first level can hold only two electrons. The
second level can hold no more than eight electrons. The third
level can hold up to 18 electrons.
Each atom has the same number of electrons as it
Boron Atom
has protons. The atom as a whole has no charge.
The positive charges of the electrons cancel out the
e
e negative charges of the protons. The figure to the
e left shows an example of a boron atom. Its nucleus
Energy 5p contains five protons and five neutrons.
level 1 5n
e Each element has distinct characteristics that

Copyright © by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

result from the number of protons in the nuclei of
that element. For instance, the elements iron, gold,
Energy e Nucleus and oxygen each have a different number of protons
level 2
in their atoms’ nuclei.

Isotopes of an Element
Atoms of the same element always have the same number of
protons. Sometimes, though, they can have different numbers of
neutrons. Atoms of the same element that have different numbers
of neutrons are called isotopes (I suh tohps). Different isotopes
of the same element act differently. Scientists have developed
some useful ways to use different isotopes in medicine.

54 Chapter 6 READING ESSENTIALS

 Name Date Class

Section
6.1 Atoms and Their Interactions, continued

Compounds and Bonding

A compound is a substance made of atoms of two or more 3. What is a compound?
elements. These atoms are chemically combined. Table salt is a ________________________
compound of the elements sodium and chlorine. If an electrical
current is passed through melted salt, the salt breaks down into ________________________
these two elements. The element chlorine is a poison. When it is
combined with sodium to form salt, the chlorine is harmless. The ________________________
properties of a compound are different from the properties of the
individual elements that make it up.

Why do atoms combine?

Atoms chemically combine with other atoms to form com-
pounds only when the result is more stable than the individual
atoms. An atom becomes more stable when the energy level far-
thest from the nucleus is filled with the maximum number of
electrons it can hold. For most atoms, this means when the sec-
ond level has eight electrons. One way to fill energy levels is to
share electrons with other atoms. This is what hydrogen atoms
do. When two atoms share electrons, the force that holds the
atoms together is called a covalent (koh VAY lunt) bond.

Atom
Copyright © by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

• smallest particle of an element

• contains protons, neutrons, and
electrons

Element
• made up of atoms
• cannot be broken down into
simpler substances
• Hydrogen and oxygen are
elements.

Compound
• made up of chemically Hydrogen Hydrogen
atom atom
combined elements
• can be broken down into its
elements Water
• a water molecule is a compound,
made up of two hydrogen atoms Oxygen
and one oxygen atom. atom

READING ESSENTIALS Chapter 6 55

Name Date Class

Section
6.1 Atoms and Their Interactions, continued

Hydrogen atoms have only one energy level with one electron.
To be full, this level would need two electrons. For this reason, a
4. What is a group of atoms hydrogen atom will share its one electron with another hydrogen
held together by covalent
bonds called?
atom. This makes both atoms more stable. The two shared elec-
trons move in the space around the nuclei of both atoms. The
________________________ positively charged nuclei attract the negatively charged electrons
that are shared. This attraction holds the two atoms together.
________________________
When a group of atoms is held together by covalent bonds, the
________________________ group is called a molecule. A molecule has no charge, positive
or negative.

How do covalent bonds form?

Most compounds in organisms have covalent bonds. Water is a
pⴙ great example. In a molecule of water, there are two hydrogen
atoms and one oxygen atom. Each hydrogen atom shares its one
electron. The oxygen atom shares the six electrons it has in its
pⴙ 8pⴙ
outer energy level. By sharing eight electrons, all three atoms
8n 0 become stable.

Water How do ionic bonds form?

molecule Not all atoms bond together by sharing electrons. A sodium
atom and a chlorine atom bond in another way to make table salt.
A sodium atom has 11 electrons. This means the outer energy

Copyright © by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

level has only one electron (2 in first level, 8 in second level, 1 in
third level). A chlorine atom has 17 electrons. This means that
5. Compare What does a there are seven electrons in a chlorine atom’s outer level (2 in first
covalent bond do that
an ionic bond does not?
level, 8 in second level, 7 in third level). When sodium and chlorine
(Circle your choice.) bond together, the sodium atom loses one electron to the chlorine
a. shares electrons atom. The chlorine atom gains this electron. When an atom gains
b. shares neutrons or loses electrons, it becomes electrically charged. It is then called
c. shares atoms an ion. An ion is a positively or negatively charged atom.
As a result of bonding, the sodium ion now has eight electrons
in its outer energy level. This makes the sodium ion stable, but
gives it a positive charge, because it now has more protons than
electrons. The chloride ion now also has eight electrons in its
outer level. It is stable but has a negative charge since it now has
more electrons than protons. These opposite charges attract the
sodium ion to the chloride ion. This attractive force between two
ions of opposite charge is known as an ionic bond. An ionic
bond, then, is what bonds sodium and chlorine together to make
table salt.

56 Chapter 6 READING ESSENTIALS

 Name Date Class

Section
6.1 Atoms and Their Interactions, continued

Ionic bond

Na + Cl Na Cl

Na atom: 11 p Cl atom: 17 p Na ion: 11 p Cl ion: 17 p

11e 17 e 10e 18 e
Sodium atom Chlorine atom Sodium ion Chloride ion

Na Cl NaCl

Chemical Reactions
The forming or breaking of bonds is what causes substances
to combine in different ways to make other substances. Chemi- 6. What causes substances
cal reactions take place when bonds are formed and broken. In to combine in different
organisms, chemical reactions occur inside cells. All of the chemi- ways to make other
cal reactions that take place within an organism are known as substances?
that organism’s metabolism. These reactions break down ________________________
and build substances that are important for the organism to
function properly. ________________________
Copyright © by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

How do you write chemical equations? ________________________

Scientists describe what happens in chemical reactions by using

chemical equations (i KWA zhunz). These are a combination of
element symbols and numbers. They explain how many sub-
stances are involved in a reaction. They also show how these sub- 7. Explain the meaning of
stances join together or come apart. For example, hydrogen and each of the following
oxygen bond together, or react, to form water. Here is the equa- symbols in a chemical
tion that describes this: equation.
2H2 + O2 → 2H2O Number before an
element:
H is the symbol for hydrogen. O is the symbol for oxygen. But the
________________________
numbers are important, too. The subscript numbers (the smaller
numbers after a symbol) show how many atoms of each element ________________________
are in a substance. The number before a substance tells how many
Subscript number after
molecules are in the substance. If there is no number before a an element:
substance, this means that there is only one molecule of it.
________________________
So, in the sample equation, 2H2 means that there are two mol-
ecules of hydrogen. Each molecule is made of two hydrogen atoms. ________________________
O2 means that there is one molecule of oxygen, and the molecule
is made up of two oxygen atoms.

READING ESSENTIALS Chapter 6 57

Name
Section
6.1 Atoms and Their Interactions, continued
8. Analyze Pouring milk
over cereal creates a solu-
tion. (Circle your choice.
Then, on the lines pro-
vided, explain your
answer.)
a. True
b. False
________________________
________________________
________________________
________________________
58 Chapter 6
Date Class
Since hydrogen and oxygen are the substances that are involved
in the reaction, they are called reactants. Reactants always appear
before the arrow in a chemical equation. The result of a reaction
is known as a product. It always comes after the arrow in the
equation. The product in this reaction is water. 2H2O means
that there are two molecules of water that result from this reac-
tion. Each molecule is made of two hydrogen atoms and one
oxygen atom.
It is important to understand that in chemical reactions, atoms
are never destroyed or created. They are simply rearranged.
Equations show this by having the same number of atoms of each
element before and after the arrow.
Mixtures and Solutions
Mixtures When elements combine chemically to form a com-
pound, the elements no longer have their original properties.
Sometimes, though, substances mix together but do not chemi-
cally combine. This makes a mixture. A mixture is a combination
of substances in which the individual substances keep their own
properties. Stirring sand and sugar together in a bowl, for exam-
ple, makes a mixture. Neither the sand nor the sugar changes.
They do not combine chemically.
Solutions A solution is a special type of mixture. In a solution,
Copyright © by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
one or more substances (solutes) dissolve in another substance
(solvent). Equal amounts of the solute are then found throughout
the solvent. For example, stirring a pack of powdered drink mix in
some water makes a solution. The powder in the drink mix dis-
solves and is the solute. The water is the solvent. If you want the
drink to taste right, you must know how much solute (drink mix
powder) to dissolve in your solvent (water). The measure of the
amount of solute dissolved in a solvent is called concentration.
The more solute that is dissolved in a given amount of solvent,
the greater the concentration.
Acids and Bases Chemical reactions take place only when condi-
tions are just right. A reaction might need a certain temperature
or a certain amount of energy. It might depend on the right con-
centration of a substance in a solution. Chemical reactions in
organisms also depend on the pH of the environment inside the
organism. The pH measures how acidic or basic a solution is. A
scale from below 0 to above 14 is used to measure pH. Substances
with a pH below 7 are acidic. An acid is any substance that forms
hydrogen ions (H+) in water. (Remember, ions have either a
READING ESSENTIALS
 Name Date Class

Section
6.1 Atoms and Their Interactions, continued

Milk Household
pH 6 ammonia
pH 11
Tomato
pH 4 Antacid
pH 10
Drain
Lemon cleaner
pH 2 Egg pH 13
pH 8

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Neutral
More acidic More basic

positive or negative charge. That is what the + or – means after an

element’s symbol.) For example, when hydrogen chloride (HCl) is
added to water, hydrogen ions (H+) and chloride ions (Cl – ) are 9. What is the pH of a neu-
formed. That is why hydrogen chloride in a solution with water tral substance?
is called hydrochloric acid. This acidic solution contains many, ________________________
many hydrogen ions (H+). The solution’s pH is below 7.
Substances with a pH above 7 are basic. A base is any sub- ________________________
stance that forms hydroxide ions (OH – ) in water. For example, if
sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is dissolved in water, it forms sodium
ions (Na+) and hydroxide ions (OH – ). This basic solution con-
tains many, many hydroxide ions (OH – ) and has a pH above 7.
If a substance is not acidic or basic, it is neutral. Neutral sub-
stances have a pH of 7. The figure above shows common acids
Copyright © by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

and bases.

◗ After You Read

Mini Glossary
acid: any substance that forms hydrogen ions
(H+) in water. Acids have a pH below 7.
atom: smallest particle of an element; basic
building block of all matter
base: any substance that forms hydroxide ions
(OH– ) in water. Bases have a pH above 7.
compound: substance composed of atoms of
two or more elements that are chemi-
cally combined
covalent (koh VAY lunt) bond: chemical bond
formed when two atoms share electrons
elements: substances that cannot be broken
down into simpler chemical substances
ion: atom or group of atoms that gain or lose
electrons; has an electrical charge
ionic bond: chemical bond formed by the
attractive forces between two ions of oppo-
site charge
isotopes: atoms of the same element that have
different numbers of neutrons in the nucleus
metabolism: all of the chemical reactions that
occur within an organism
mixture: combination of substances in which indi-
vidual components keep their own properties
molecule: group of atoms held together by cova-
lent bonds; has no overall charge

READING ESSENTIALS Chapter 6 59

Name Date Class

Section
6.1 Atoms and Their Interactions, continued

nucleus: positively charged center of an atom solution: mixture in which one or more sub-
made of neutrons and positively charged stances (solutes) are distributed evenly in
protons, and surrounded by negatively another substance (solvent)
charged electrons
pH: measure of how acidic or basic a solution is;
the scale ranges from below 0 to above 14;
solutions with a pH above 7 are basic and a
pH below 7 are acidic

1. Review the terms and their definitions in the Mini Glossary. Then choose two of the terms
that are related. Write a sentence explaining how the terms are related.
____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

2. Draw a line from each term in Column A to the best explanation of the term in Column B.
Column A Column B
1. compound a. substance with a pH of 7
2. element b. an organism’s metabolism
3. covalent bond c. forms hydroxide ions in water
4. chemical reactions d. forms hydrogen ions in water
5. mixture e. what holds hydrogen and oxygen together

Copyright © by Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

6. solution in a water molecule
7. acid f. drink mix dissolved in water
8. neutral g. sugar and sand stirred in a bowl
9. base h. what holds sodium and chloride together
in table salt
10. ionic bond
i. gold
j. table salt

Visit the Glencoe Science Web site at science.glencoe.com to find

your biology book and learn more about atoms and their interactions.

60 Chapter 6 READING ESSENTIALS