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IGCSE 2.1
Elements, Compounds and mixtures

1. All substances can be classified into one of these three types: Element, Compound, and Mixture.

2. Element
• Substance that contains only one type of atoms or cannot be broken down anymore.
• All elements can be found in the periodic table
• Example Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen

3. Compound
• Two or more different elements join together chemically.
• Compounds cannot be separated into their elements by physical means.
• Example Water, Carbon dioxide, Copper(II) sulfate

4. Mixture
• Two or more substances join together non-chemically.
• Mixtures can be separated by physical means such as filtration.
• Example sand and water.

5. Differences between compound and mixture

Compound Mixture

Fixed composition Any composition

Pure substance Not pure substance

Cannot be separated by physical mean Can be separated by physical mean

Different properties of its components The properties are those of its components

Fixed melting and boiling points Different melting and boling point

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IGCSE 2.2 nucleus = proton + neutron

Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table electron orbit around nucleus

1. atoms
Element is made of tiny particles of matter called ________.
2. Atoms are made up of sub-atomic particles: ____________,
proton _____________
electron neutron
and ____________.
3. Nucleus is situated in the centre of an atom.
4. positive
Nucleus has a ______________ charge. This is because it contains positively charged particles
neutron
called ___________ and neutral particles called _____________.
proton
negatively
5. Electrons are _____________ charged and move around the nucleus in its shells.
6. Atoms are electrically neutral. This is because the positive charge of the nucleus is ‘cancelled out’
by the negative charge of the electrons.

proton
Number of ____________ electron
= Number of __________________

7. Question: What is the number of electrons in:

(a) Carbon, ____
C with 6 protons? ________
6 electrons
(b) Aluminium,_____
Al with 13 protons? ________
13 electrons
(c) Magnesium, _______
Mg with 12 protons? 12 electrons
_________

8. Proton, Neutron and Electron are also known as sub-atomic particles.

Sub-atomic
Relative atomic mass Charge
particles

p 1 +1

n 1 0

e- (electron) 1/1840 -1

(a) Mass of proton is similar to the mass of neutron.

(b) The nucleus of an atom contributes a lot to the mass of an atom, this is because electrons
have very ______________
light mass.

Electron Arrangement

9. Electrons orbit around the nucleus in its own shell. The shells are occupied from inside-out. Each
shell has a maximum number of electrons than it can hold.
10. A* Rules:
2
#1. First shell maximum of ______electrons

#2. Second, Third, … shells with maximum ______

8 electrons

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Proton Number and Nucleon Number

11. Proton number = Total number of _________ nucleus of an _______

proton in the _________ atom
12. Nucleon number = Total number of _________
proton and __________
neutron in the _________
nucleus atom
of an _______
13. Proton number is also known as _____________________.
atomic number
14. Nucleon number is also known as ___________________
atomic mass mass number
and ___________________.

atomic number and atomic mass is not the same

15. Determine the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Nucleon
Elements Symbol Proton Number No. of neutrons
Number

Lithium 3 7 4
Li
Beryllium Be 4 5
9
Boron B 5 11 6

Carbon 6 12 6
C
Nitrogen 7 14 7
N
Oxygen 8 16 8
O
Fluorine F 9 19 10

Helium He 2 4 2

Neon 10 20 10
Ne

16. Question: Chlorine atom with atomic number, 17 and atomic mass, 37. State:
(a) no of protons, ______
17
17
(b) no of electrons, ______
(c) no of neutrons, 37-17
______= 20
2, 8, 7
(d) electron arrangement, ________________

17. Question: Calcium atom with atomic number, 20 and atomic mass, 40. State:
20
(a) no of protons, ______
(b) no of electrons, ______
20
20
(c) no of neutrons, ______
2, 8, 8, 2
(d) electron arrangement, ________________

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18. Complete the following table:

Elements Proton Nucleon No of No of No of Electron
Elements
Symbol number number Protons Neutrons Electrons Arrangement

Hydrogen H 1 1 1 0 1
1
Helium He 2 4 2 2
2 4-2 = 2
Lithium Li 3 7 3 4 2, 1
3
Beryllium Be 4 9 4 4
5 2, 2
Boron B 5 11 6 5
5 2, 3
Carbon C 6 12 6
6 6 2, 4
Nitrogen 7 14 2, 5
N 7 7 7
Oxygen 8 16 2, 6
O 8 8 8
Fluorine 9 19 9 9 2, 7
F 10
Neon Ne
10 20 10 10
10 2, 8
Sodium Na 11 23 11 12
11 2, 8, 1
Magnesium Mg 12 24 2, 8 ,2
12 12 12
Aluminium 13 27 2, 8 ,3
Al 13 14 13
Silicon Si 14 28 14 14 2, 8 , 4
14
Phosphorus P 15 31 15 15
16 2, 8 ,5
Sulphur S 16 32 16
16 16 2, 8 ,6
Chlorine Cl 17 35 18 2, 8 ,7
17 17
Argon Ar 18 40 2, 8 ,8
18 22 18
Potassium 19 39 19 19 2, 8 , 8, 1
K 20
Calcium 20 40 20 20 2, 8 ,8, 2
Ca 20

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19. Question: Draw and state the electron arrangements of the following:
(a) Carbon atom, ____C (b) Sodium atom, ____ Na (c) Chlorine atom, ____
Cl O
(d) Oxygen atom, ____
with 6 electrons with 11 electrons with 17 protons with 8 protons

2, 4

Elements Symbol

20. A special system is used for writing the atomic number, mass number and symbol for an element.
21. In this system: (a) The nucleon number is written on the top left hand corner of the symbol
(b) The atomic number is written on the bottom left hand corner of the symbol.

nucleon number

atomic number

22. Try the followings!

Element Number of Number of Number of

symbols proton electron neutron

7 7 7

19 18
(got 1 extra bc of +) 20

3+
Al 10 14

9 9 10

O 8 10 8

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The Periodic Table

G1 G8

P1 1 2
G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 G7
5 8 9 10
P2
2,1 2,2 2,3 2,4 2,5 2,6 2,7 2,8

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

P3 2,8,1 2,8,2 2,8,3 2,8,4 2,8,5 2,8,6 2,8,7 2,8,8

19 20

P4 2,8,8,1 2,8,8,2

outermost shell.
**Valence electrons: The number of electrons at the ___________

valence electrons
Group number: Number of ___________________
electron shell
Period number: Number of ___________________ electrons
filled with ____________

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IGCSE 2.3
Isotopes

same element with the _________

1. Isotopes are atoms of the __________ same number of protons but
different number of neutrons.
___________
2. Isotopes have the same no of protons/atomic number but different nucleon number.
3. Example p+n
No. of No. of No. of Proton Nucleon
Element Name of Isotopes
Isotopes Protons Neutrons number Number

Oxygen -16 8 8 8 16

Oxygen 3 Oxygen -17 8 9 8 17

Oxygen -18 8 10 8 18
Chlorine -35 17 18 17 35
Chlorine 2
Chlorine -37 17 20 17 37

Bromine -79 35 44
Bromine 3 35 79
Bromine -81 35 46 35 81

chemical
4. Isotopes have same _____________________ properties but different physical properties.
same number of electrons at the outermost
This is because they have the ________ ___________ electron shells.

5. Uses of isotopes in daily life

Isotopes Field Purpose

Cobalt - 60 Medicine
To treat cancer
Carbon - 14 Archeology To determine age of fossil
Sodium - 24 Industry
To detect underground pipe leakage
Uranium - 235 Industry
To produce nuclear fuel
Cobalt - 60 Food
To prevent rotting

First edition by Mr Khing

Author: Mr Sai Mun
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IGCSE MAY/JUNE 2018 P43 3

2 (a) 29
Al is a radioactive isotope of aluminium. The only non-radioactive isotope of aluminium is
27
Al.

(i) Describe, in terms of protons, neutrons and electrons, how the isotopes 29Al and 27Al are
similar and how they are different.

same number proton and electrons

how they are similar ............................................................................................................
different number of neutrons
how they are different .........................................................................................................
[2]

13Al
27
(ii) Complete the table to show the number of nucleons, neutrons and electrons in an 3+

ion.

13Al
number in 27 3+

nucleons 27
neutrons 14
electrons
10
[3]

(b) Aluminium is extracted from its ore by electrolysis.

(i) Name the main ore of aluminium.

....................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) Why is2015

IGCSE MAY/JUNE P32 not extracted from2its ore by reduction with carbon?
aluminium

1 Complete.......................................................................................................................................
the following table which gives the number of protons, electrons and neutrons in each[1]
of the five particles.
(iii) The main ore of aluminium contains aluminium oxide. Aluminium oxide is dissolved in
molten cryolite before it is electrolysed.
number of number of number of
particle
protons electrons neutrons
Give two reasons, other than cost, why cryolite is used.
K
..............
19 19 20
1 ..........................................................................................................................................
56
26 Fe 26
.............. 26
..............
30
..............
2 ..........................................................................................................................................
[2]
Li
..............
3 2 4

70 3+
31 Ga 31 28 39
.............. .............. ..............

Se
..............
34 36 45
[Total: 8]

© UCLES 2018 0620/43/M/J/18 [Turn over

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IGCSE MAY/JUNE 2018 P41 4

2 l

(a)
Z

one one Z
one
a.
Z
94 + 20 = 114
Calcium Pu + Z = Fl [1]

(b)
Period 7 [1]

(c)
4
[1]

(d) 286
Fl Fl

(i)
Radioactive / radioisotopes [1]

(ii)

286
Fl 114 172 114

Fl 114 175 114

[2]

(e)

(i) two

2
[2]

(ii) one

[1]

© UCLES 2018 0620/41/M/J/18

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Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry A* Notes vbest.edu.my

IGCSE MAY/JUNE 2013 P32 4

For
2 (a) The table below gives the number of protons, neutrons and electrons in atoms or ions. Examiner’s
Complete the table. The first line is given as an example. Use
You will need to use the Periodic Table.

number of number of number of symbol or

particle
protons electrons neutrons formula

A 4 4 5 9
4 Be

39
B 19 18 20
....................
19

65
C 30 30 35 30
....................
16
D 8 10 8
....................
8

70
E 31 31 39
....................
31

[6]

(b) Using the data in the table, explain how you can determine whether a particle is an atom,
a negative ion or a positive ion.

Atom has same number of proton and electron.

...........................................................................................................................................

Negative ion has more number of electron than proton.

...........................................................................................................................................
Positive ion has more number of proton than electron.
..................................................................................................................................... [3]

[Total: 9]

3 The
IGCSE diagram shows
MAY/JUNE P42 of the processes 3which determine the percentage of carbon dioxide
2017some
in the atmosphere.
2 Carbon and silicon are elements in Group IV of the Periodic Table. Both carbon and silicon exist as
more than one isotope.
carbon dioxide
(a) isotopes. in atmosphere
Atoms of the same element with the same number of proton but different number of neutron.
....................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................. [2]
combustion respiration photosynthesis
(b) Complete the following table which gives information about carbon atoms and silicon atoms.
(a) Explain how the following two processes alter the percentage of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere. carbon silicon

proton number
(i) combustion 6 14

electronic structure 2,4 2,8,4

....................................................................................................................................

nucleon number 12 28
....................................................................................................................................

number of neutrons in one atom 6

..............................................................................................................................
14 [3]
[3]
© UCLES 2013 0620/32/M/J/13
(c) Silicon has a giant structure which is similar to the structure of diamond.
2 Atoms, Elements and Compounds | Google: VBEST | Notes 3.21 10
(i) Name the type of bond which is present between silicon atoms in silicon.

....................................................................................................................................... [1]
Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry A* Notes vbest.edu.my

IGCSE OCT/NOV 2017 P41 2

number of number of number of

neutrons
A 6 8 6
B 12 12 12
C 13 14 10
D 8 8 10
E 11 12 11

(a) A B C D or E

(i)
B [1]

(ii)

A [1]

(iii)
C (more proton compared to electron)
[1]

(iv) one
E
[1]

(b) D

D
O ^2-
[2]

[Total: 6]

© UCLES 2017 0620/41/O/N/17

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IGCSE OCT/NOV 2017 P43 3

2 (a) (i) molecule

2 or more elements join together by sharing pair of electrons.

[2]

(ii) element
A simple substance that cannot be broken down anymore.

[1]

(b) A B C D

A 10 10 10
B 10 12 10
C 12 10 10
D 13 10

(i) A?
10
[1]
(p+n)
(ii) B?
22
[1]
(same proton but different neutron)
(iii) A B C D
A and B
[1]

(iv) A B C D
A and B
[1]

(v) A B C D more proton and electron

C and D
[1]

(c)

Na 11 11

S2– 16 18 2 extra electron

Cl 2 34 34
[3]

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IGCSE MAY/JUNE 2017 P41 2

1 This question is about subatomic particles.

(a)
the total number of proton in an atom
proton number, ..........................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................
the total number of proton and neutron in an atom
nucleon number. ........................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................................
[3]

(b) Why is the 11H hydrogen atom the only atom to have an identical proton number and nucleon
number?
They have no neutrons.
....................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................. [1]

(c) Complete the table to show the number of protons, neutrons and electrons in the atoms and
ions given.

number of number of number of

protons neutrons electrons
19
F 9 10 9 2.7

2.8.2
26
Mg 12 14 12

31
P3– 15 16 18 2.8.8

87
Sr2+ 38 49 36 2.8.8.17
[6]

(d) (i)
MgF2
....................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) Write the formula of the compound formed from Sr2+ and P3–.
Sr3P2
....................................................................................................................................... [1]

[Total: 12]

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IGCSE MAY/JUNE 2017 P43 2

1 Six different atoms can be represented as follows.

3 3 12 13 14 19
1A 2D 6E 6G 7J 9L
2.7
(a) Answer the following questions using atoms from the list. Each atom may be used once, more
than once or not at all.

Select one atom from the six shown which

(i) has exactly seven protons,

J
....................................................................................................................................... [1]

(ii) has exactly six neutrons,

E
....................................................................................................................................... [1]

(iii) has more protons than neutrons,

D
....................................................................................................................................... [1]

(iv) has the electronic structure [2,5],

J
....................................................................................................................................... [1]

(v) is an atom of an element from Group VII of the Periodic Table,

L
....................................................................................................................................... [1]

(vi) is an atom of a noble gas.

D
....................................................................................................................................... [1]

(b) Two of the six atoms shown are isotopes of each other.

(i) What is meant by the term isotopes?

Atoms of the same element with same number of protons but different number of neutrons
.............................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................... [2]

(ii) Which two of the six atoms shown are isotopes of each other?
E and G
....................................................................................................................................... [1]

(iii) Why do isotopes have identical chemical properties?

They have same number of electrons on the valence shell.
.............................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................... [1]

[Total: 10]

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IGCSE OCT/NOV 2016 P43 2

1 (a) Complete the table.

particle charge relative mass

proton +1 1

neutron 0 1

electron -1 1/1840

[2]

(b) The following are isotopes of carbon.

12 13 14
6C 6C 6C

(i) In terms of numbers of protons, neutrons and electrons, how are these three isotopes the
same and how are they different?

They are the same because ...............................................................................................

they have same number of protons and electrons

.............................................................................................................................................
they have different number of neutrons
They are different because .................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................
[3]

(ii) Why do all isotopes of carbon have the same chemical properties?
Same number of electron in outermost shell.
....................................................................................................................................... [1]

(c) Name two forms of the element carbon which have giant covalent structures.

.............................................................. and ........................................................................ [1]

(d) Complete the diagram to show the electron arrangement in a carbon dioxide molecule.
Show the outer shell electrons only.

O C O

[2]

[Total: 9]

© UCLES 2016 0620/43/O/N/16

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IGCSE MAY/JUNE 2016 P41 2

1 Protons, neutrons and electrons are subatomic particles.

(a) Complete the table to show the relative mass and relative charge of a proton, a neutron and an
electron.

particle relative mass relative charge

proton 1 +1

neutron 1 0

1
electron -1
1840
[3]

(b) Bromine has two isotopes.

(i) isotope.
Atoms of the same element with same number of proton and electron but different number of
.............................................................................................................................................
neutrons

....................................................................................................................................... [2]

(ii) Explain why the two isotopes of bromine have the same chemical properties.
They have the same number of electron in the valence shell.
.............................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................... [2]

(c) The table shows the number of protons, neutrons and electrons in some atoms and ions.

Complete the table.

number of number of number of

particle
protons neutrons electrons
7
3 Li 3 4 3
34 2-
16 S
16 18 18
41
19 K 19 22 18
[5]

[Total: 12]

2©Atoms,
UCLES 2016 0620/41/M/J/16
Elements and Compounds | Google: VBEST | Notes 3.21 16
Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry A* Notes vbest.edu.my

IGCSE SPECIMEN PAPER 2016 P4 3

2 The table gives the composition of three particles.

number of number of number of

particle
protons electrons neutrons

A 15 15 16

B 15 18 16

C 15 15 17

(a) What is the evidence in the table for each of the following?

(i) Particle A is an atom.

The number of protons and electrons are the same

[1]

(ii) A, B and C are all particles of the same element.

They all have same number of proton.

[1]

(iii) Particles A and C are isotopes of the same element.

They have the same proton number but different number of neutron.

[2]

(b) (i) What is the electronic structure of particle A?

2,8,5 [1]

(ii) Is element A, a metal or a non-metal? Give a reason for your choice.

Non-metal, because there are 5 electron in the outermost shell = group 5

[1]

[Total: 6]

© UCLES 2014 0620/04/SP/16 [Turn over

2 Atoms, Elements and Compounds | Google: VBEST | Notes 3.21 17
 The Periodic Table of Elements
Group
I II III IV V VI VII VIII
1 2
H He
hydrogen helium
Key 1 4
3 4 atomic number 5 6 7 8 9 10

Li Be atomic symbol B C N O F Ne
lithium beryllium name boron carbon nitrogen oxygen fluorine neon
7 9 relative atomic mass 11 12 14 16 19 20
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar
sodium magnesium aluminium silicon phosphorus sulfur chlorine argon
Cambridge IGCSE Chemistry A* Notes

23 24 27 28 31 32 35.5 40
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr
potassium calcium scandium titanium vanadium chromium manganese iron cobalt nickel copper zinc gallium germanium arsenic selenium bromine krypton
39 40 45 48 51 52 55 56 59 59 64 65 70 73 75 79 80 84
37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54
Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe
rubidium strontium yttrium zirconium niobium molybdenum technetium ruthenium rhodium palladium silver cadmium indium tin antimony tellurium iodine xenon
85 88 89 91 93 96 – 101 103 106 108 112 115 119 122 128 127 131
55 56 57–71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86
lanthanoids
Cs Ba Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn
caesium barium hafnium tantalum tungsten rhenium osmium iridium platinum gold mercury thallium lead bismuth polonium astatine radon
133 137 178 181 184 186 190 192 195 197 201 204 207 209 – – –
87 88 89–103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 114 116
actinoids
Fr Ra Rf Db Sg Bh Hs Mt Ds Rg Cn Fl Lv
francium radium rutherfordium dubnium seaborgium bohrium hassium meitnerium darmstadtium roentgenium copernicium flerovium livermorium
– – – – – – – – – – – – –

2 Atoms, Elements and Compounds | Google: VBEST | Notes 3.21

57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71
lanthanoids La Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu
lanthanum cerium praseodymium neodymium promethium samarium europium gadolinium terbium dysprosium holmium erbium thulium ytterbium lutetium
139 140 141 144 – 150 152 157 159 163 165 167 169 173 175
89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103
actinoids Ac Th Pa U Np Pu Am Cm Bk Cf Es Fm Md No Lr
actinium thorium protactinium uranium neptunium plutonium americium curium berkelium californium einsteinium fermium mendelevium nobelium lawrencium
– 232 231 238 – – – – – – – – – – –

The volume of one mole of any gas is 24 dm3 at room temperature and pressure (r.t.p.).
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