Objectives:

 Calculate number of electron, protons and neutrons from

symbolic representation of atom

 Explain the terms mass number and atomic number

 Define isotopes with examples

The roll numbers are assigned in order to avoid confusion and proper
identification of the student.
Similarly, the elements are assigned atomic numbers based on the number of
protons its atom possesses.

Atomic number
 The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.
 Represented by the symbol ‘Z’.
 Each element has its own atomic number
Number of protons = Number of electrons
For example,
Hydrogen has one proton so, the atomic number of hydrogen as Z=1
The number of protons is equal to number of electrons in an atom.
Therefore the atomic number can also be taken as the number of electrons.

Mass number = (A)

actual mass of one atom
Mass number =
(mass of the atom)
Number of protons +
number of neutrons
We can remember it as the sequence of
the alphabet i.e. A at top and Z is always
at the bottom.
The mass number ‘A’ is always written in the superscript.

The atomic number ‘Z’ is always written in the subscript.

2. An atom U has 3 electrons and 4 neutrons. Find its atomic number and mass
number. Also represent the atom symbolically.

(i) Atomic number

= Number of protons = Number of electrons
=3

(ii) Mass number = Number of protons + number of neutrons

= 3 + 4= 7

(iii) Symbol of atom

Answer: Atomic number 3; Mass number 7; Symbol
ISOTOPES

The atoms of same element having the same atomic number (same number of
protons or electrons) but different mass numbers (different numbers of
neutrons) are called isotopes.

• Atoms of the same element that have different masses.

• Have different masses because they have different numbers of neutrons.

• The Atoms of an element that have different numbers of neutrons are called as
isotopes.

• Number of protons always the same.

(iii) chlorine has two isotopes.
Recap
• Elements are made of atoms = the smallest particle that has all the
characteristics of the element.
• A scanning tunneling microscope makes it possible to see individual
atoms.
• Democritus believed that the matter is made up of tiny particles which
cannot be further subdivided.
• Plato- the famous Greek philosopher believed that matter is made of
four ‘natural elements’- Earth, fire, water and air.
• Antoine Lavoisier’s theory is known as Law of conservation of mass
• John Dalton explained that all matter is composed of tiny
indivisible particles called atoms.
• Joseph John Thomson proposed plum pudding model.
• Ernest Rutherford discovered atom’s nucleus which contains
protons (positively charged particles)
• The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom is called the
atomic number of the atom.
• The number of protons and neutrons in an atom is called its mass
number.
• The Atoms of an element that have different numbers of neutrons
are called as isotopes.