Atomic Model,

Structure and
Isotope
Learning Outcomes
In this section, you’ll be able to :
(a) Describe the structure of an atom in terms of a positively charged nucleus and negatively
charged electrons in orbit around the nucleus

(b) Know how atoms may form positive ions by losing electrons or form negative ions by gaining
electrons

(c) Describe how the scattering of alpha (α) particles by a sheet of thin metal supports the
nuclear model of the atom, by providing evidence for:

- a very small nucleus surrounded by mostly empty space

- a nucleus containing most of the mass of the atom

- a nucleus that is positively charged

(d) Describe the composition of the nucleus in terms of protons and neutrons

(e) State the relative charges of protons, neutrons and electrons as +1, 0 and –1 respectively
What Would be Learnt?

Nuclear Model of Atom

Radioactivity
Atoms and Particles

GOLD PLATINUM

What’s the difference?

Atoms and Particles
Atoms and Particles
Where is gold and platinum in Periodic Table?
Atoms and Particles
Atoms and Particles

https://bit.ly/ATOM-LAB
 Structure of Atoms

electron
nucleus

proton neutron
 Structure of Atoms

• Atoms are the building blocks of all matter

electron • They are incredibly small with a radius of only
1 × 10-10 m
nucleus
• The radius of the nucleus is over 10,000 times
smaller than the whole atom, but it contains
almost all of the mass of the atom

proton neutron
Model of Atoms
Dalton Model of Atom

John Dalton “ all matter is made of atoms,

which are indivisible and indestructible “
1766 - 1844
English Chemist, Physicist & Meteorologist
Model of Atoms
Thomson’s “Plum Pudding” model

• A high voltage is applied across two electrodes at one end of

the tube, which causes a beam of particles to flow from the
cathode (the negatively-charged electrode) to the anode (the
Joseph John Thomson
positively-charged electrode).
1856 - 1940
British Physicist • Cathode X-Ray Experimen lead to the discovery of electron.
Model of Atoms
Thomson’s “Plum Pudding” model

Joseph John Thomson

1856 - 1940
British Physicist
 Model of Atoms

Ernest Rutherford Hans Geiger Ernest Marsden

1871 - 1937 1882 - 1945 1889 - 1970
New Zealand Physicist German Physicist English-New Zealand Physicist
Model of Atoms
Rutherford’s Experiment
 Model of Atoms
Rutherford’s Experiment
Rutherford’s experiment lead to the discovery of proton

The majority of them go straight

A very small number through (A).
are deflected straight This happens because the atom is
back (C). mainly empty space.
This is because the
nucleus is extremely
small.

Some are deflected through small

angles (B).
This happens because the positive α-
particles are repelled by the positive
nucleus which contains most of its
mass.
Model of Atoms
Rutherford’s Model
Model of Atoms
Model of Atoms
Modified Rutherford’s model by applying

quantum theory devised by Max Planck in 1900

Niels Bohr
1885 - 1962
Danish Physicist
Model of Atoms
Isotopes
• A nuclide is a group of atoms containing the same number of protons and
neutrons.
carbon-12 is a nuclide of carbon with 6 protons and 6 neutrons

• Atomic symbols are written in a specific notation called nuclide or AZX notation.

• The top number A represents the

nucleon number or the mass
number.
• Nucleon number (A) = total
number of protons and neutrons in
the nucleus

• The lower number Z represents the

proton or atomic number
• Proton number (Z) = total number
of protons in the nucleus
Isotopes

12
6 C Chemical Symbol

Atomic Mass
(of Isotope)
Atomic Number
 Isotopes

13
6 C Chemical Symbol

Atomic Mass
(of Isotope)
Atomic Number
Isotopes
• Although all atoms of the same element always have the same number of
protons (and hence electrons), the number of neutrons can vary.

• An isotope is defined as:

An atom (of the same element) that has an equal number of protons but
a different number of neutrons

• Hydrogen has three isotopes: protium, deuterium and tritium

Isotopes
Various ways of identifying Isotopes
Using atomic notation,
Example: 126 C or simply 12 C

•Using the mass notation.

Example: Carbon-12 or C-12
(read “carbon twelve” or “C twelve”)
 Isotopes
Some Isotopes of Carbon
mass atomic # of p+ # of e- # of no
notation notation
C-11 11C

C-12 12C

C-13 13C

C-14 14C
 Isotopes

The Isotopes of Hydrogen

mass atomic # of p+ # of e- # of no
notation notation
Hydrogen-1 1H

Hydrogen-2 2H

Hydrogen-3 3H
Isotopes
Figure #1 Figure #2 Figure #3

p+ = p+ = p+ =
no = no = no =
e- = e- = e- =
Isotopes
• The neutron number of an atom is found by subtracting the proton number from the
nucleon number

• Since nucleon number includes the number of neutrons, an isotope of an element will also
have a different nucleon / mass number

• Since isotopes have an imbalance of neutrons and protons, they are unstable
• This means they constantly decay and emit radiation to achieve a more stable form
• This can happen from anywhere between a few nanoseconds to 100,000 years
Deifference Between Isotopes
• The number of neutrons in an atom does not affect the chemical properties of an atom,
such as its charge, but only its mass. This is because neutrons have no charge but do have
mass.
• The charge of the nucleus of a particular element is always the same.

• The mass number of Chlorine is given as 35.5 because it has roughly equal numbers of
isotopes with a mass number of 35, and of 36
• The number of electrons and protons in different isotopes remains the same Isotopes tend
to be more unstable due to the imbalance of protons and neutrons.
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