Atoms, elements and compounds

Atom:
It is the smallest building unit of matter, that can’t
be broken down further by chemical means.
Element:
It’s a substance that can’t be split up into anything
simpler by chemical means.
Or it’s a substance made up of atoms with the
same atomic number.
Molecule:
It’s a group of 2 or more atoms joined together.
Diatomic molecule:
A molecule that are made up of 2 atoms joined
together.
Diatomic elements are:
Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Fluorine, chlorine,
iodine & Astatine.
H2, O2, N2, F2, Cl2, Br2, I2, At2
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 Metals Non-Metals

A class of chemical
A class of chemical
elements which have a
elements that are
characteristics Lustrous
typically poor conductor
appearance and which
of heat and electricity
are good conductors of
and are hard brittle. They
heat and electricity. They
have dull appearance.
are malleable and ductile.

The physical properties of metals and non-metals.

Property Metal Non-Metal

Physical state at room Solid (except mercury Solid liquid or
1
temperature. which is liquid) gas
Malleability Good No. usually (soft)
2
or brittle.
3 Ductility Yes Very poor
4 Appearance (solids) Shiny (lustrous) Dull
5 Melting point Usually high Usually low
6 Boiling point Usually high Usually low
7 Density Usually high Usually low
Conductivity Good Very poor except
8 Therminal and (graphite)
electrical

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 Metals and non-metals also differ in chemical
properties.

Metals Non-metals

They have either 4, 5, 6, 7 or

They have either 1.2 or 3
8 valence electrons except
valence electrons.
helium which has 2.

They lose electrons forming They gain electrons forming

positive ions. negative ions.
From either ionic
Forms ionic compounds with compounds with metals or
non-metals. covalent compounds with
other non-metals.

Compound Mixture
Substance made up 2 or more
of 2 or more atoms substances that
of different elements aren’t joined
Definition joined together together chemically
chemically. but mixed
physically.
NaCl, H2O, CO2. Air, Sea water,
Examples
Alloys.
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 Fixed Variable
(Atoms in a (the amount of
Composition compound are components in a
combined in a fixed mixture can vary).
ratio).
New properties Same properties of
(different than its original
Properties properties of its components.
elements).
Can be Can’t be separated Can be separated by
separated by physical methods. physical methods.

Chemical change and physical change

Chemical change Physical change
New chemicals (substances) The substance involved
are formed. don’t change.
Usually the process is not
Can be reversed.
easily reversed.
Energy is often given out. Energy is often taken in.
For example For example
 Decomposition of  Melting
substances  Dissolving
 Synthesis
 Combustion

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 Atomic structure
 Atoms are made up of 3 kinds of subatomic
particles:
Protons, Electrons and Neutrons.
 Protons & Neutrons are
grouped together in the
center of the atom in
the Nucleus.
 Electrons move around
the nucleus in Energy
Shells.

Particle Relative Charge Relative Mass

Proton Positive (+ ve) 1
Electron Negative (- ve) 1/1840
Neutron Neutral (o) 1

Remember that:
1) Most of the atom’s mass is concentrated in
the nucleus. As mass of electrons is
negligible, almost zero.
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 2) The atom is electrically neutral, (have overall
charge = zero).
Because no. of protons equals no. of electrons.
i.e.: no. of Positive charges = no. of Negative
charges.

 When you search the periodic

table for any element, you’ll
find its symbol and 2 numbers.

Mass Number (Nucleon Number):

It is the number of Protons & Neutrons inside the
nucleus of an atom.
Atomic Number (Proton Number):
It is the number of Protons inside the nucleus of an
atom.

No. of Neutrons = Mass Number – Atomic number

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 Examples:

No. of Protons = 6 No. of Protons = 11

No. of Electrons = 6 No. of Electrons = 11

No. of Neutrons = 12 – 6 = 6 No. of Neutrons = 23 – 11 = 12

Electrons’ Arrangement (Electronic Configuration):

 Electrons are arranged
Electron energy
in: Energy shells, or levels
Energy levels, or orbits.
 The maximum no. of Nucleus
shells in an atom Electron
is: 7 shells.
 A shell must be filled
before starting on the next one.
 The 1st shell is the closest to the nucleus; it’s
filled by 2 electrons.
 The 2nd shell takes up to 8 electrons.

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  The 3rd shell can take up 18 electrons, but it’s
filled up by 8 electrons and the rest goes to
the 4th shell.

Magnesium has an atomic no. 12:

 So Magnesium has 12 electrons.
 The 1st shell takes 2 electrons.
 The 2sd shell takes 8 electrons.
 2 electrons go to the 3rd shell.
To represent the electronic
configuration of Magnesium:
 We can draw it:
 Or write it down:2, 8, 2.

Relationship Between The Electronic Configuration &

The Periodic Table:
 Elements are arranged the Periodic Table in
order of: increasing atomic no.
 Periodic table has vertical columns called
Groups & horizontal rows called Periods.

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  There is a direct relationship between the
electronic configuration of an element & its
position in the periodic table.
Group no. = number of electrons in the outer most
shell “Valence Electrons”.
Period no. = number of energy shells.

Group 1 has 1 valence electron, Group 2 has 2 valence

electrons, Group 3 has 3 valence electrons, etc.

Group

Period 1

Period 2

Period 3

Period 4

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 Ions
 Ions are atoms or groups of atoms that have
a positive or negative charge.
 Ions are formed by gaining or losing
electrons.
 Ions are never formed by gaining or losing
protons.

Cations Anions

Positive charge. Negative ions.

Formed by the atom losing Formed by the atom gaining

electrons. electrons.

Metals form cations. Non-metals forms anions.

− 2 → + 2 →

No. of protons > No. of No. of electrons > No. of

electrons. Protons.

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 For example:

Ion Proton no. Nucleon no. p n e

20 40 20 20 18

26 56 26 30 23

16 32 16 16 18

53 127 53 74 54

11 23 11 12 10

15 31 15 16 18

Important terms:
Valence electrons: Electrons in the outer shell of an atom.
Example:
Sodium has 1 valence electron & Chlorine has 7 valence electrons.
Valency: no. of electrons lost or gained by an atom to be stable.
Example:
Sodium loses 1 electron its valency is 1.
Chlorine gains 1 electron its valency is 1.

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 Isotopes:
Isotopes:
Atoms of the same element having the same
proton number but a different mass number due
to difference in no. of neutrons.
Isotope Symbols for Carbon.

Most elements have isotopes, e.g.: Calcium has 6

isotopes, Iron has 4 & chlorine has 2.
Explain why: Isotopes of the same element have
the same chemical properties?
Because they have the same no. of electrons in
their outermost shell.
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 37
Explain why: 17Cl & 17Cl35 are 2 isotopes of the
same element?
Because they both have the same proton number.
Finding Ar (relative atomic mass) of chlorine:
Chlorine has 2 naturally occurring isotopes, 75% of
which have mass 35 and 25% have mass 37.
Ar of Cl = (75 * 35) + (25 * 37) = 35.5
100 100

Types of isotopes
Isotopes are classified into two types as
nonradioactive isotopes and radioactive isotopes.

Nonradioactive isotopes, are those isotopes

whose nucleus is stable that does not decay and
does not emit energy radiation example.

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 Radioactive isotopes, many isotopes are unstable
because of the extra number of neutrons and
they are called radioactive isotopes. E.g. Tritium,
Uranium, Carbon- 14.

Radioactive isotopes have applications.

Some uses are:
 Medical use:
Gamma rays are used to cure cancer. Sterilizing
medical equipment.
Example: Cobalt 60 is the usual source of
gamma rays.
 Industrial use:
Radioactive isotopes are used as tracers (leaks
in pipes) and as fuel.
Example: Uranium 235 is used as a fuel.

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