YEAR 9 ATOMS 2021

LESSON 1- SUB To learn the basic history

ATOMIC PARTICLES of the atomic theory and

identify the atomic
structure of an atom.
WHAT IS AN ATOM?
 HISTORY OF THE ATOM
400 B.C Greek philosopher Democritus
first suggested that everything was made of something tiny
and indestructible.
He called these atomos or atoms.

1808 – John Dalton’s Atomic theory

Came up with atomic theory. Atoms of the same element were
alike and couldn’t be divided into smaller pieces.

1897 - JJ Thomson Plum Pudding model

explained that atoms contained negatively charged particles
called electrons. He came up with the plum pudding model.
 HISTORY OF THE ATOM
1911 Lord Rutherford
came up with the idea that the atom was mostly empty space.
He stated that the nucleus had positively charged protons in the centre.
Electrons move around the outside.

1913 Niels Bohr – Bohr’s model

Studied with Rutherford.
He came up with Bohr’s model of the atom.

1932 – James Chadwick

discovered the nucleus which contained the neutrons as well as positively charge
protons.
Neutrons have no charge.
 ATOMIC THEORY
 John Dalton founded the atomic theory of
matter, which states:
 Elements are made of atoms, which are
tiny particles.
 Atoms of an element are identical to
each other.
 Atoms of elements are different to other
elements.
 Compounds are formed when one
element combines its atoms with
another.
 ATOMS
 Atoms consist of + & - charged
particles which are attracted to each
other.
 Nucleus of an atom has protons &
neutrons.
 Protons: + charge. Found in nucleus.
 Neutrons: No charge (i.e. are neutral).
Found in nucleus.
 Electrons: - charge. Surround nucleus
and spin in electron shells.

 IMPORTANT: The number of

• Ernest Rutherford’s model of the protons or the atomic number
atom determines what element the atom
is.
 ATOMIC MASS
Atoms mass is due to the weight of the
nucleus.
The total number of protons & neutrons
in an atom is called the mass number.

Have a think, why is the atomic mass on

the periodic table a decimal?
THE PERIODICTABLE
Periodic table displays all
the known elements. It
shows:
The reactivity and size of
each atom.
Different metals, non-
metals and
semi-metals/metalloids.
Each element “box” shows
the number of protons,
electrons and neutrons of an
atom.
 HISTORY OF THE ATOM
SUMMARISED

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xazQRcSCRaY
 To understand how
LESSON 2 - READING elements are arranged on
the periodic table and that
THE PERIODIC TABLE determines their
properties.
 An element is a pure substance made of
only one type of atom. It cannot be
broken down further.
PERIODIC TABLE
E.g. All gold atoms found in the world
would be exactly the same.
There are 118 different known elements.
They are arranged in the Periodic Table.
Some of these elements are man made
and do not occur naturally.
There are:
 Metals (left)
 Non-metals (gases-right)
 Metalloids
Most elements on the periodic table are
metals.
We put these elements into different
groups depending on their properties.
 Atomic number tells you -
position in periodic table,
number of protons, number of
electrons

Atomic symbol
Neutrons have a neutral
charge

We calculate it by:

Atomic mass - atomic

number

Name
Atomic weight
 GROUPS AND PERIODS
Periods
They are rows that go from left to right.
As you go across the period then the
reactivity of elements goes down.
Groups
They are columns that go up and down.
Going down a group increases the
reactivity of an element.
Elements in the same group have
similar properties.
 Group 1 (Alkali metals) & 2 (Alkali Earth
REACTIVITY Highly reactive
metals)

This is due to them having 1 or 2 electrons in

their outer shell.
They readily lose them so they can have a
full/stable outer shell.
Group 8 (Noble gases)
Unreactive
This is due to them have a full outer shell so
they don’t need to lose or steal electrons.
Group 7 (Halogens)
Highly reactive
Due to only needing 1 electron to make a full
shell so will steal.
PRACTICE READING THE
PERIOD TABLE
FIND PROTONS, ELECTRONS,
ATOMIC MASS AND
NEUTRONS
 LESSON 3 - BOHR’S Gain the ability to
construct a model of
MODEL OF THE ATOM an atom
 BOHR’S MODEL
 Electrons move around in
electron shells.
 Electrons closest have low
energy & those furthest away
have more.
 Each shell has a limit to the
number of electrons they hold.
 1st : 2 electrons Oxygen: atomic number 8
 2nd : 8 electrons Atomic no=Electron no 8 electrons
 3rd : 8 electrons up to Ca- 18 2 in 1st shell and 6 in 2nd shell.
after
 4th : 18 electrons Configuration: 2, 6
As a group draw an example of the atom for each of
these elements
ELECTRON
CONFIGURATION
Electron configuration shows how
many electrons are in each shell.
We always start with the inner most
shell and write outwards.
For example: Carbon: 2,4

This means: two electrons on the first

shell and four electrons on the second
shell.
Try Sodium

The rows going across the periodic

table tell us how many shells each
element has.
The elements in each group have the
same number of electrons on their
outer most shells.
TRY THESE EXAMPLES
BOHR’S MODEL
 VALENCE ELECTRONS
 Electrons in outermost
shell of an atom are called
Valence electrons.
 Valence electrons have the
most energy.
 Easily taken by other
elements to form ions due
to having less attraction to
nucleus.
 Number of valence
electrons determine how
reactive the element is.
VALENCE ELECTRONS?
 EXTENTION: ELECTRON
CONFIGURATION
To use this method of writing
electron configuration you
must understand the
following:
 S shell holds 2 electrons
 P shell holds 6 electrons
 D shell holds 10 electrons
 Follow the arrows!
Shells will be filled following
the order of the arrows.
See the example of Calcium
with 20 electrons
EXTENSION: ELECTRON
CONFIGURATION
 LESSON 4 –
PHYSICAL To understand how
elements within groups

PROPERTIES OF share similar physical

properties.

ATOMS
 THE PERIODIC TABLE AND
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Elements in the same group have
similar physical properties.
An elements physical properties
are anything you can observe
without changing the substance.
Density, hardness and strength
are examples of physical
properties.
HARDNESS AND In the periodic table as you go
THE PERIODIC down a group the more dense an
element becomes
TABLE Each element on the left to right
side of a period are the least dense.
The elements in the middle of a
period are the most dense.
Osmium is found in the middle of
the periodic table and is one of the
most hardest materials on earth.
Dense elements are harder and we
measure them based on their
hardness.
The hardness of a material can
determine its uses.
 HARDNESS
Hardness describes the ability of one object can scratch
another object.
Hardness is how much force is holding the particles
together.
This is why you can scratch a ruler using a nail. That is
because the force holding the ruler together are weaker
than the nail.
The particles in plastic are not held together strongly
so they can easily be broken.
Harder substances require more heat to melt due to the
forces holding the particles together.
 STRENGTH

Tensile strength – how much force is needed to

break something when stretched
Compressional strength – how much force can
a substance take without being crushed
LESSON 5- IONS AND To understand what are

ISOTOPES ions and isotopes

 IONS
Atom loses or gains an electron,
it creates a charge particle known
as an ion.
Positive Ion (cations): Element
that has lost an electron.
have fewer electrons than protons.
Negative ions (anions): Element
that has gained an electron
have more electrons then protons
IONS
IONS – WHAT IS THE
CHARGE OF EACH OF
THESE ATOMS?
 IONS
Metals lose electrons.
◦E.g Copper loses 2 electrons= Cu2+
Lose: forms + ion Na+ or Ca2+

Non metals gain electrons.

◦E.g Chlorine gains 1 electron= Cl-
Gain: forms - ion O- or N2-
IONS
IONS
IONS
 ISOTOPES
Atoms of the same element with
different numbers of neutrons are
called isotopes.
They will still have the same
atomic number, but a higher atomic
mass.
Some lithium can have a mass
number of 7 (3 protons + 4
neutrons), 8 (3 protons, 5 neutrons)
 NAMING ISOTOPES
A=the mass number made up of the protons and
neutrons
Z = the atomic number. The number of protons in the
nucleus
X=the symbol of the element
Calculating neutrons: mass number – atomic number

What is the similarity

between these three
isotopes? What is the
difference?
 To understand why
LESSON 6- some elements are
radioactive and where
RADIOACTIVITY they are found on the
periodic table
 STABLE OR UNSTABLE
In most atoms, the protons and neutrons
found in the nucleus are held together very
strongly, they are said to be stable.
Sometimes they are not held together
strongly, making their nucleus unstable.
Isotopes can be stable or unstable, the
ones that are unstable decay to form other
elements. These isotopes are called
radioisotopes.
Many radioactive elements are found
close to the bottom of the periodic table as
don’t have stable isotopes or are man
made.
 RADIATION
Atoms are stable & can last billions of
years
A radioactive element is unstable & decays
over time.
Particles separate and radiation can be
emitted from the nucleus as it decays.
A radioactive element will attempt to
remove protons or neutrons as well as
other particles to reach stability.
Number of protons, nucleus & electrons
may change.
Uranium is a common radioactive element
 HALF LIFE
The nuclei of each radio active element has
a different rate of decay.
During this process they produce alpha,
beta particles as well as gamma rays.
The half-life of a radioactive sample is the
time taken for half the radioactive nuclei in
an element to decay.
Each radioactive sample will decay at a
constant rate & will make a exponential
decay curve.
LESSON 7 -TYPES OF Understanding
radiation releases
RADIATION different particles
 ALPHA, BETA AND
GAMMA RAYS
The energy emitted by radioactive substances
is called nuclear radiation because it comes
from the nucleus.
There are three different types of radiation:
alpha particles, beta particles and gamma rays.
 ALPHA PARTICLES
Have a positive charge.
It’s two protons and two neutrons bond together

They cannot travel easily through materials

and can be stopped by a sheet of paper and
human skin.
They don’t pose much harm to the external
body, but if breathed in, eaten or injected they
can cause serious harm.
The symbol for alpha particle is α.
 BETA PARTICLES
They can have a positive or negative charge.
They can also travel nearly at the speed of
light.
They can penetrate the human skin and
damage living tissue, but not plastic, wood or
aluminium.
The symbol for beta particles is β.
 GAMMA RAYS
They are not particles, but bursts of energy after
a beta particle or alpha particle is released. They
travel at the speed of light
Highly damaging to living tissue
Can be stopped only by a thick shield of lead
and concrete
The symbol for gamma rays is γ .
RADIATION – IS IT
DANGEROUS?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI2vRwFKnHQ
 To understand the uses
LESSON 8 - USING of radioactive isotopes
in medicine and
RADIOACTIVITY industries and its
disadvantages
 USING RADIOACTIVITY
1903 Mary curie were awarded a Nobel
prize in physics for their discovery of
radioactivity.
Radio activity ha been used throughout
history
 nuclear weapons capable of killing
millions of people
 nuclear power plants to generate
electricity
 radioisotopes used to treat cancers and
other illnesses
 RADIATION AND
MEDICINE
There are many uses of radiation in
medicine.
We use X-rays to observe broken bones
or observe organs to see if they are working
properly.
Radiation can be used to assist doctors in
diagnostics such as checking if there are
any blockages in arteries of the heart.
Using this information doctors can
recommend treatments.
Radiation can also be used to kill cancer
cells.
 MAKING ELECTRICITY
USING RADIATION
The radioactive properties of uranium
are used in the generation of electricity in
nuclear reactors.
The uranium undergoes a fission
reaction in the reactor which split the
isotope in half. Part of this reaction
produces heat.
This heat energy is used to heat water to
produce steam, which is used to turn the
turbines that generate the electricity.
 NUCLEAR WASTE
Since some radioactive isotopes have half
lives of thousands of years it makes it hard to
get rid of them.
These waste products are currently sealed in
steel containers or glass blocks and stored in
power stations or buried deep at sea or
underground away from groundwater.
They plan to send rockets full of this waste
towards the sun or outer space, but the main
concern is that the rockets may explode before
leaving earth.
 THE DARK SIDE OF
RADIATION
Chernobyl 1986
The reactor became unstable and
nuclear fusion started to occur to
quickly.
This caused a steam explosion which
destroyed the reactor core, leading to a
leakage of radiation.
Since the accident 4000 have died from
long-term cancers and others have been
affected with increased risks of cancers.
CHERNOBYL
 THE DARK SIDE OF
RADIATION
Hiroshima
When Hiroshima was hit by an atomic
bomb the blast killed 70,000 people
instantly with tens of thousands more
dying from injuries in the after math.
People who looked directly at the blast,
went blind instantly.
The shockwave of the force caused
buildings to collapse.
THE MOST RADIOACTIVE
PLACE ON EARTH
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRL7o2kPqw0