Science

Grade 8 • Unit 12: Atomic Structure

LESSON 12.2
Structure of the Atom
Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Learning Competency 2

Learning Objectives 2

Warm-Up 2

Learn about It 3
Atoms and Its Components 3

Key Points 6

Check Your Understanding 7

Bibliography 8
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Grade 8 • Unit 12: Atomic Structure

Lesson 12.2
Structure of the Atom

The atom is the basic building block of matter.

Introduction
The development of the atomic theory greatly helped in the understanding of the structure
of the atom. Through a series of experiments, scientists have discovered more about the
atom, including its structure. What makes up an atom? How are these components
helping the atom obtain its identity?

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Grade 8 • Unit 12: Atomic Structure

Learning Competency
At the end of this lesson, the given enabling competency should be met by the
students.
● Describe the subatomic particles that make up an atom.

Learning Objectives
In this lesson, you should be able to do the following:
● Describe the structure of an atom.
● Describe subatomic particles that make up an atom.
● Obtain the identity of an atom based on the number of its subatomic
particles.

Warm-Up

A Bigger Model of an Atom

Atoms are so small, yet scientists have already deduced what they look like. The discovery
of subatomic particles kept scientists busy for almost a century, figuring out how they are
arranged inside the atom. In this activity, you will use your previous atomic models and
create a big, 3D model of a particular element.

Materials
● 5 pieces each of red, blue, and green balls
● 1 piece, 5 ft wire
● glue or adhesives

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Grade 8 • Unit 12: Atomic Structure

Procedure
1. Form a group of five.
2. Your teacher will assign you the atomic model you will be building. Recall the general
structure of the models you have studied in the previous lesson.
3. Use the balls to represent the subatomic particles. Red balls represent the positively
charged protons, while blue balls represent the negatively charged electrons. Green
balls represent the neutrally charged neutrons.
4. Use the wire to connect the balls. Be ready to present your model in front of the
class. Let your classmates guess the type of model you build in your group.

Guide Questions
1. What does the wire represent in the actual model of an atom?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Where are protons, neutrons, and electrons in the model of the atom that you built?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Learn about It

Atoms and Its Components

Essential Question
What makes up an atom?

Atoms are made up of smaller particles. These particles are called subatomic particles. The
three types of subatomic particles that make up an atom are protons, neutrons, and

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Grade 8 • Unit 12: Atomic Structure

electrons.

As stated by Rutherford, the atom consists of mostly empty space, with a highly
concentrated positive charge in its center. This center is called the nucleus. Inside the
nucleus are protons and neutrons that are held together by attractive forces. Outside the
nucleus are the electrons that are rapidly moving.

Fig. 12.2.1. The atomic structure as proposed by Rutherford

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Grade 8 • Unit 12: Atomic Structure

Did You Know?

Compared to the size of the atom, the size of the nucleus is much smaller.
This could be likened to a piece of coffee bean placed at the center of a
racetrack. The coffee bean would be the size of the nucleus, while the
racetrack would be the size of the atom.

Even though the nucleus is tiny, it is responsible for most of the mass of the atom. Protons
and neutrons have the same relative mass, which is much higher than the mass of the
electron (see Table 12.2.1).

Table 12.2.1. Properties of the Subatomic Particles

Subatomic Location in the Relative Relative mass

Symbol
particle atom charge (in atomic mass unit)

proton p+ +1 1
inside the nucleus
neutron n 0 1

electron outside the nucleus e– -1

While neutrons contain no charge, protons have a positive charge, and electrons have a
negative charge. Atoms of all elements in their neutral state have a zero charge. This is
because atoms have the same number of protons and electrons, which cancels out the

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Grade 8 • Unit 12: Atomic Structure

charges of each other to produce a net neutral element.

Consider lithium and carbon atoms, which are both presented in Table 12.2.2. Having the
same number of protons and electrons means that the negative charges will cancel the
positive charges.

Table 12.2.2. Atoms in their neutral state have a net charge of zero.

Subatomic Number of subatomic Total charge for each

Element
particles particles subatomic particle

p+ 3 +3

n 4 0
lithium
e– 3 -3

Total charge of a lithium atom 0

p+ 6 +6

n 6 0
carbon
e– 6 -6

Total charge of a carbon atom 0

Key Points

● An atom consists of three subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons.

● Protons have a positive charge, neutrons have no charge, and electrons have a
negative charge. Both protons and neutrons have a relative mass of 1, while
electrons have a relative mass of 1/1840.
● An atom consists of mostly empty space with a highly dense center called the

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Grade 8 • Unit 12: Atomic Structure

nucleus.
● Protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus of an atom, while electrons are found
outside the nucleus.

Check Your Understanding

A. Answer the following questions:
1. What are the three subatomic particles?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2. Where can protons be found in the atom?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3. Where can neutrons be found in the atom?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
4. Where can electrons be found in the atom?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
5. What are the differences between the subatomic particles in terms of their relative
mass?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
6. What are the differences between the subatomic particles in terms of their relative
charge?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
7. Why do neutral elements have a charge of zero?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
8. Which two subatomic particles account for most of the mass of the atom?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
9. What is the size of the nucleus compared to the size of the atom?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
10. How does the mass of the electron compare to the mass of protons and neutrons?
_______________________________________________________________________________________

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Grade 8 • Unit 12: Atomic Structure

B. Complete the following table by filling out the last column.

Subatomic Number of subatomic Total charge for each

Element
particles particles subatomic particle

p+ 9

n 9
fluorine
e– 9

Total charge of a fluorine atom

p+ 20

n 20
calcium
e– 20

Total charge of a calcium atom

Bibliography
Chang, Raymond. 2008. General Chemistry: The Essential Concepts. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Tan Yin Toon, et al. 2013. Chemistry Matters 2nd Edition. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish
Education.

Department of Earth and Natural Sciences Columbia University. Isotopes and Radioactivity
Tutorial. Accessed August 21, 2017.
https://web.archive.org/web/20180706040616/http://eesc.columbia.edu/courses/ees/lith
osphere/labs/lab12/radioisotope_tutorial.html.

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Indiana University Northwest. Rutherford’s Planetary Model of the Atom. Accessed August 21,
2017.
https://web.archive.org/web/20201105231743/https://cpanhd.sitehost.iu.edu/C101web
notes/modern-atomic-theory/rutherford-model.html.

Indiana University Northwest. Dalton’s Atomic Theory. Accessed August 19, 2017.
https://web.archive.org/web/20180527060318/http://www.iun.edu/~cpanhd/C101webn
otes/composition/dalton.html.

Purdue University. The Structure of the Atom. Accessed August 20, 2017.
http://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/topicreview/bp/ch6/atom_emrframe.html.

New York University. MathMol --Mathematics and Molecules. Accessed August 19, 2017.
https://www.nyu.edu/pages/mathmol/textbook/atoms.html.