Atomic Structure and

Interatomic Bonding

Materials Engineering
 Atomic Structure
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS
• nucleus composed of
protons and neutrons
• encircled by moving
electrons
• charge magnitude
1.60 x 10-19 C
• Protons/Neutrons
-1.67 x 10-27 kg
• Electrons-9.11 x 10-31 kg
 Atomic Structure
FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS
• atomic number-number of
protons in the nucleus
• atomic weight-atomic mass (A) of
a specific atom may be expressed
as the sum of the masses of
protons and neutrons within the
nucleus
– atomic mass unit (amu)
– 1 amu/atom (or molecule) = 1
g/mol
• Isotope-number of neutrons (N)
may be variable
– elements have two or more
different atomic masses
 ELECTRONS IN ATOMS
• Quantum mechanics
– set of principles and laws that govern
systems of atomic and subatomic
entities
– behavior of electrons in atoms and
crystalline solids

• Bohr atomic model

– electrons are assumed to revolve
around the atomic nucleus
• wave-mechanical model
– an electron’s being at various
locations around the nucleus
– electron is considered to exhibit both
wave-like and particle-like
characteristics
 Quantum Numbers

4 parameters that characterize an atom under wave-

mechanics.
• Principal quantum number, n – related to the distance of
an electron from the nucleus or its position. Take on
integral values beginning with unity, n = 1,2,3,4,5,…
• Second quantum number, l – signifies the subshell which
are denoted by s, p, d, f. It is related by the shape of the
electron subshell.
• Third quantum number, ml – determines the number of
energy states for each subshell.
• Fourth quantum number, ms – relates to spin moment
which are either up or down.
Quantum Numbers
 Electron Configurations
• Pauli exclusion principle
– each electron state can hold no
more than two electrons, which
must have opposite spins
• electron configuration
– manner in which these energy
states are occupied
• valence electrons
– those that occupy
the outermost shell
– they participate in
the bonding
between atoms
– physical and
chemical properties
of solids are based
on these
 THE PERIODIC TABLE
Alkali Metals
Alkaline earth metals

Inert Gases
Halogens
Transition metals

Rare Earth series

Actinide series
 THE PERIODIC TABLE

• Group 0 – inert gases ( filled electron shells and

stable electron configurations)
• Group VIIA – halogens ( 1 electron deficit from having
stable structures)
• Group IA – alkali (one electron in excess)
• Group IIA – alkaline earth metals ( two electrons in
excess)
• Group IIIB to IIB- transition metals (partially filled d
electron states)
• Groups IIIA, IVA and VA – display characteristics
intermediate between the metals and nonmetals
 Electronegativity
• Electropositive elements – capable of giving
up their electrons to become positively-
charged ions.
• Electronegative elements – readily accept
electrons to form negatively charged ions or
sometimes they share electrons with other
atoms.
• electronegativity increases in moving
from left to right and from bottom to top
 Atomic Bonding
PRIMARY INTERATOMIC BONDS
• Ionic Bonding
– found in compounds that are
composed of both metallic and
nonmetallic elements
– Metallic element gives up its
valence electrons to the
nonmetallic atoms

• Ionic materials are

characteristically hard and brittle,
electrically and thermally
insulative.
 Atomic Bonding
PRIMARY INTERATOMIC BONDS
• Covalent Bonding
– Found in many nonmetallic elemental molecules
– H2O, diamond and GaAs
– methane(CH4)
 Atomic Bonding
PRIMARY INTERATOMIC BONDS
• Metallic Bonding
– found in metals and their alloys
• The valence electrons of the
metallic materials are not bound to
any particular atom and are more or
less free to drift throughout the
entire metal, forming a “sea of
electrons” or an “electron cloud”.
• Metals are good conductors of both
electricity and heat due to their free
electrons.
 SECONDARY BONDING OR
VAN DER WAALS BONDING
• Exists in virtually all atoms or molecules but its presence
may be obscured if any of the 3 primary bonding types is
present
• Found in inert gases and between molecules in molecular
structures that are covalently bonded.
• Arise from atomic or molecular dipoles.
• Hydrogen bonding, a special type of secondary
bonding, exist between some molecules that have hydrogen
Bonding Energies and Melting
Temperatures for
Various Substances
 MOLECULES

• composed of groups of atoms that are bound

together by strong covalent bonds
• include elemental diatomic molecules as well as a
host of compounds