An atom is mostly space occupied by the negatively charged electrons, surrounding a very small,

positively charged nucleus.

Atoms consisted of three sub-atomic particles- protons, neutrons, and electrons.

The mass of one atom can be compared with that of another using a mass spectrometer.

The masses of atoms of all other elements are compared to the mas of a carbon atoms. This gives a
series of values of relative atomic masses for the elements.

Sub-atomic particle Relative mass Relative charge Location in atom

proton 1 +1 In nucleus
Neutron 1 0 In nucleus
electron 1 -1 Outside nucleus
(negligible)
1840

Pure samples of elements were found to contain atoms with different masses even though they
contained the same numbers of protons and electrons.

The different masses were caused by different number of neutrons in their nuclei. Such atoms are called
isotopes.

Isotopes have the same chemical properties they have the same number of electrons in their outer shell.

Isotopes: atoms of the same element which have the same proton number but a different nucleon
number

- The atoms have the same number of protons and electrons, but different numbers of neutrons
in their nuclei.
- Isotopes of an element have the same chemical properties because they have the same electron
structure.

A simplified version of Bohr’s theory of the arrangement of electrons in an atom can be summarized as
follows:

- Electrons are in orbit are called shells (or energy levels) and have different energies
- Shells which are further from the nucleus have higher energies
- The shells are filled starting with the one with the lowest energy (closest to the nucleus)
- The first shell can hold only two electrons
- The second and subsequent shells can hold eight electrons to give a stable (noble gas)
arrangement of electrons
Elements Symbol Atomic First shell Second Third Fourth Electron
number,Z shell shell shell configuration
Hydrogen H 1 . 1
Helium He 2 .. 2
Lithium Li 3 .. . 2,1
Beryllium Be 4 .. .. 2,2
Boron B 5 .. … 2,3
Carbon C 6 .. …. 2,4
Nitrogen N 7 .. ….. 2,5
Oxygen O 8 .. …… 2,6
fluorine F 9 .. ……. 2,7
Neon Ne 10 .. …….. 2,8
Sodium Na 11 .. …….. . 2,8,1
Magnesium Mg 12 .. …….. .. 2,8,2
Aluminium Al 13 .. …….. … 2,8,3
Silicon Si 14 .. …….. …. 2,8,4
Phosphoru P 15 .. …….. ….. 2,8,5
s
Sulfur S 16 .. …….. …… 2,8,6
Chlorine Cl 17 .. …….. ……. 2,8,7
argon Ar 18 .. …….. …….. 2,8,8
Potassium K 19 .. …….. …….. . 2,8,8,1
calcium Ca 20 .. …….. …….. .. 2,8,8,2