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Protons, neutrons and electrons

The nucleus is:
 made up of protons and neutrons
 positively charged because of the
protons
 dense – it contains nearly all the
mass of the atom in a tiny space.

Electrons are:
 very small and light, and negatively charged
 able to be lost or gained in chemical reactions
 found thinly spread around the outside of the nucleus,
orbiting in layers called shells.

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Protons, neutrons and electrons

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How are electrons arranged?
Electrons are not evenly spread, but exist in layers called
shells. (The shells can also be called energy levels).
The arrangement of electrons in these shells is often
called the electron configuration.

1st shell
2nd shell

3rd shell

Note that this diagram is not drawn to scale – the atom is

mostly empty space. If the electron shells are the size
shown, the nucleus would be too small to see.

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How many electrons per shell?
Each shell has a maximum number of electrons that it can
hold. Electrons will fill the shells nearest the nucleus first.
1st shell holds
a maximum of
2 electrons

2nd shell holds

a maximum of
8 electrons

3rd shell holds

a maximum of
8 electrons

This electron arrangement is written as 2,8,8.

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Bohr Models

• Used to represent a model of an atom.

• To draw a Bohr model follow these steps:

(We will use Helium as an example)

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Making a Bohr Model Using Helium

P= 2
N= 2

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Making a Bohr Model Using Helium

3. Draw your 1st electron shell.

P= 2
N= 2

4. Draw up to 2 electrons in the 1 st shell.

P= 2
N= 2

5. If you need to add more electrons, you need to

add more electron shells! Remember…2, 8, 8!!!

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Calculate electron configurations

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Which element?

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Valence electrons

Valence Electrons are:

 The electrons in the outermost shell
 Responsible for atomic bonding
 Equal to the last digit of the group number
 How many valence electrons in this atom? What
group would it be in?

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LEWIS (DOT) SYMBOLS FOR THE ELEMENTS

A Lewis dot structure for an atom consists of

the symbol for the element and one dot for
each valence electron.

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How to Draw a Lewis Structure

1) Find your element on the periodic table.

2) Determine the number of valence electrons by
looking at the group (column)
3) This is how many electrons you will draw.

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Lewis Structures

1) Write the element

symbol.
2) Carbon is in the
14th group, so it has

C 4 valence
electrons.
3) Starting at the
right, draw 4
electrons, or dots,
counter-clockwise
around the element
symbol.
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Lewis Structures

1) Check your work.

2) Using your periodic
table, check that
Carbon is in the 4th

C group.
3) You should have 4
total electrons, or
dots, drawn in for
Carbon.

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Lewis Structures

What would the Lewis

Dot Structure for
Phosphorus look like?

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