ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATION

You should be able to:

3.1 describe with illustrations, the structure of atoms

of atomic number 1 to 20;
3.6. define isotopy.
3.7 list uses of radioactive isotopes.
 ELECTRON ARRANGEMENT
■ Protons and neutrons are found packed together in a dense core
at the centre of the atom. This is called the nucleus.
■ The electrons orbits the nucleus at fixed distances from the
centre of the atom. These electrons orbits are also called shells.
■ In shells closer to the nucleus, electrons have less energy, and
move slower than electrons in shells further away, which have
more energy.
■ When electrons shells fill, the following rules are observed:
1st shell can hold a maximum of 2 electrons
2nd shell can hold a maximum of 8 electrons
3rd shell can hold a maximum of 18 electrons
4th shell can hold a maximum of 32 electrons
 ELECTRON ARRANGEMENT
3rd shell

The electronic configuration Na 2nd shell

shows the distribution of the
electrons in the shells. 1st shell

Z =11

The electronic configuration of the sodium atom

shown is: 2.8.1
 ISOTOPES
■ Isotopes are atoms of the same element which have the same
number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.
■ Isotopes possess the same chemical properties and electrical
properties but different physical properties.
■ Hydrogen has three isotopes 11H, 21H and 31H.

ISOTOPES OF HYDROGEN

Isotopes are atoms of the same element having the same

atomic number but different atomic mass.
 RADIOISOTOPES
Some elements contain isotopes that are unstable. The
nucleus of these atoms spontaneously break up, emitting
particles and radiation. These type of atoms are called
radioisotopes. They are said to be radioactive.
There are three types of radiation:

■α particles – helium nuclei

■ β particles – high speed electrons
■ γ rays - electromagnetic radiation of very short
wavelengths.
 USES OF RADIOISOTOPES
Radioisotopes has a number of uses in different fields. Some
of these are:
Field Radioisotope Use
Medicine Cobalt- 60 To kill cancer cells
Plutonium -238 Energy source in pacemakers
that keep the heart beating.
Iodine-131 To detect and monitor
diseases in the thyroid gland.
Research Radioactive To monitor plant growth
phosphorus
Carbon-13 To monitor the complex
reaction of photosynthesis
Carbon dating Carbon -14 To determine the age of the
materials.
 OTHER USES OF RADIOISOTOPES

biological tracer, for example, in studies of

Oxygen-18
photosynthesis

Uranium-235 enriched as a fuel for most nuclear reactors

trace factory waste causing ocean pollution and

Gold-198 to trace sand movement in river beds and on
ocean floors
 QUICK CHECK 2
1. What are isotopes? Give an example of an element with
isotopes. 2mks
2. The table below shows five particles.
(a) Complete the
Particles Nucleon Proton Number Number table. 10 mks
number number of of
neutrons electrons (b) Which two
A 14 6 atoms are
B+ 20 18 isotopes?2mks
C 15 7 (c) Write the
D 15 6 electronic
configuration for
E2- 16 10
particle C. 1mks
 SOLUTION TO QUICK CHECK 2

1. Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have the same
number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.
An example of an element with isotopes is hydrogen, or
carbon, or chlorine.
2. Atom Nucleon Proton Number of Number of
number number neutrons electrons
A 14 6 8 6
B+ 39 19 20 18
C 15 7 8 7
D 15 6 9 6

(b) Which two atoms are isotopes? A and D

(c) Which atom has the greatest mass? D
 HOMEWORK
1. a. All matter consists of atoms. All atoms in turn consist of THREE
fundamental particles which are confined to two distinct regions.
(i) Name the THREE fundamental particles of atoms
(ii) State the relative charges and masses of the THREE fundamental
particles.
(iii) Indicate which ONE of these particles, the chemical properties of an
element depend
b. The following are notations for two atoms of the same element X.
39 42
X X
19 19
Draw FULLY labelled diagrams of the two atoms of element X. Include in
EACH diagram the number and arrangement of each of the THREE
fundamental particles which make up the atoms.