Atomic Structure

HELIUM ATOM
Shell
proton

+
N
-
+
- N

electron neutron

What do these particles consist of?

Bohr’s Atom

electrons in orbits

nucleus
 ATOMIC STRUCTURE

He
2 Atomic number
the number of protons in an atom

4 Atomic mass
the number of protons and
neutrons in an atom

number of electrons = number of protons

 ATOMIC STRUCTURE

Electrons are arranged in Energy Levels or Shells

around the nucleus of an atom.

• first shell a maximum of 2 electrons

• second shell a maximum of 8 electrons

• third shell a maximum of 18 electrons

 ATOMIC STRUCTURE

There are two ways to represent the atomic structure

of an element or compound;

1. Electronic Configuration

2. Dot & Cross Diagrams

 ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATION

With electronic configuration elements are represented

numerically by the number of electrons in their shells and

number of shells. For example;

Nitrogen configuration = 2 , 5

N
2 in 1st shell
2 + 5 = 7
5 in 2nd shell
14
 ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATION

Write the electronic configuration for the following

elements;

20 11 8
a) Ca b) Na c) O
23 16
40

2,8,8,2 2,8,1 2,6

17 14 5
d) Cl e) Si f) B 11
35 28

2,8,7 2,8,4 2,3

 DOT & CROSS DIAGRAMS

With Dot & Cross diagrams elements and compounds

are represented by Dots or Crosses to show electrons,

and circles to show the shells. For example;

X

N
Nitrogen X X N X X 7

14
XX
 DOT & CROSS DIAGRAMS

Draw the Dot & Cross diagrams for the following

elements;
8 17
X
a) O b) Cl 35 X X
16 X
X X X
X
X X X X Cl X X X
X O X
X X
X X X
X X X
X
 How do the subatomic particles
balance each other?
• In an atom:
– The protons = the electrons
• If 20 protons are present in an atom then 20
electrons are there to balance the overall
charge of the atom—atoms are neutral
– The neutrons have no charge; therefore
they do not have to equal the number of
protons or electrons
How do we know the number of
subatomic particles in an atom?
• Atomic number: this number indicates the
number of protons in an atom
– Ex: Hydrogen’s atomic number is 1
• So hydrogen has 1 proton
– Ex: Carbon’s atomic number is 6
• So carbon has 6 protons
**The number of protons identifies the
atom.
Ex. 2 protons = He, 29 protons = Cu
 How do we know the number of
subatomic particles in an atom?
• Mass number: the number of protons
and neutrons in the nucleus
– Ex: hydrogen can have a mass of 3.
Since it has 1 proton it must have 2
neutrons

– # of neutrons = mass # - atomic #

 Determining the number of
protons and neutrons
• Li has a mass number of 7 and an atomic
number of 3
– Protons = 3 (same as atomic #)
– Neutrons= 7-3 = 4 (mass # - atomic #)
• Ne has a mass number of 20 and an
atomic number of 10
– Protons = 10
– Neutrons = 20 - 10= 10
 What about the electrons?
• The electrons are equal to the number
of protons
– So e- = p = atomic #
• Ex: He has a mass # of 4 and an atomic
# of 2
– p+ = 2
– no = 2
– e- = 2
 Determine the number of
subatomic particles in the
following:

• Cl has a mass # of 35 and an atomic #

of 17
– p+ = 17, no = 18, e- = 17
• K has a mass # of 39 and an atomic #
of 19
– P+ = 19, no = 20 e- = 19
 ATOMIC SYMBOLS

Atomic number Z A
Mass Number A Z Symbol

Z = no. of proton
A = no. of neutron + no. of proton (Z)
A –Z = No. of neutrons
 How exactly are the particles
arranged?
• Bohr Model of the atom:
Reviewers think this could lead to misconceptions!
All of the
protons and
the neutrons
The 3rd ring
can hold up
to 18 e- The 1st ring can
The 4th ring hold up to 2 e-
and any after The 2nd ring can
can hold up to hold up to 8 e-
32 e-
What does carbon look like?
Mass # = 12 atomic # = 6

6 p and 6 n live
in the nucleus

p+ = 6 no = 6 e- = 6
 SUMMARY
1. The Atomic Number of an atom = number of
protons in the nucleus.

2. The Atomic Mass of an atom = number of

Protons + Neutrons in the nucleus.

3. The number of Protons = Number of Electrons.

4. Electrons orbit the nucleus in shells.

5. Each shell can only carry a set number of electrons.

 Symbols
! Find each of these:
a) number of protons

Br
b) number of neutrons 80
c) number of electrons
35
d) Atomic number
e) Mass Number
 Symbols
! If an element has an atomic
number of 34 and a mass
number of 78, what is the:
a) number of protons
b) number of neutrons
c) number of electrons
d) complete symbol
 Symbols
! If an element has 91
protons and 140 neutrons
what is the
a) Atomic number
b) Mass number
c) number of electrons
d) complete symbol
 Symbols
! If an element has 78
electrons and 117 neutrons
what is the
a) Atomic number
b) Mass number
c) number of protons
d) complete symbol