Chapter - 2

Atomic structure
Atom is the smallest particle of an element having the chemical properties of the element.

• Atom is made up of three subatomic particles: Proton, Neutron and Electron.

• Atom is electrically neutral because no. of protons and no. of electrons are always
equal.
• Protons and neutrons join together to form the nucleus, the central part of the atom.
• Nucleus has a positive charge because it has protons and neutrons. As the protons are
positively charged and neutrons have no charge on it.
Subatomic particle Location in atom Charge
Proton In the nucleus Positive charge
Neutron In the nucleus No charge
Electron Outside the nucleus Negative charge

Ions
The electrically charged atom. The atom gets the charge because the number of electrons is
not equal to the number of protons in the atom.

Neutral Negatively Charged Positively Charged

No. of p+ = No. of e- No. of p+ < No. of e- No. of p+ > No. of e-

6 protons 5 protons 6 protons

6 neutrons 6 neutrons 6 neutrons
6 electrons 6 electrons 5 electrons

Atom Anion Cation

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Atomic Number (Z): Number of protons in an atom.

Mass Number (A): Sum of the number of protons & neutrons in an atom.
A = p + + n0

Atomic number and mass number representation on the Symbol

A 23 Protons=11
Symbol Na Neutrons =12
Z 11 Electrons = 11

Energy levels or Shells

Electrons revolve around the nucleus in different energy levels or shells and each shell is
having a definite energy. The energy of the K shell is the least while those of L, M, N and O
shells increases. 1st energy level is K shell, 2nd energy level is L shell, 3rd energy level is M
shell, and 4th energy level is N shell and so on.

Electronic Configuration of an element:

Aufbau’s principle: It states that electrons always fill orbital of lower energy first.

The order for filling in the sublevels: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p,
7s, 5f, 6d………

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Rules of writing the electronic configuration:
To indicate the electron filling of a particular orbital, energy level of the orbital is written
before the orbital symbol while the number of electrons in the orbital is written after the
orbital symbol near its head. Thus, 1s2 represents 2 electrons in the s orbital of the energy
level=1

Number of electrons
2
Energy level
1s
Orbitals

The electronic configurations in s, p, d, f and K L M N of some elements to illustrate the

above rules
(i) Hydrogen (Z=1), the only electron in the atom occupies the 1s orbital. Therefore, the
electronic configuration of H is
E.C in s, p, d, f: 1s1
E.C in K L M N: 1
(ii) Helium (Z=2), both electrons can go into 1s orbital so that the electronic
configuration of He is
E.C in s, p, d, f: 1s2
E.C in K L M N: 2
(iii) Lithium (Z=3) has 3 electrons. Since 1s cannot have more than 2 electrons, we put 2
electrons in 1s orbital and the third one in the next available orbital, namely 2s, giving
configuration:
E.C in s, p, d, f: 1s2 2s1
E.C in K L M N: 2, 1

(iv) Beryllium (Z=4), Since 1s cannot have more than 2 electrons, we put 2 electrons in
1s orbital and the third and fourth electron in the next available orbital, namely 2s,
giving configuration:
E.C in s, p, d, f: 1s2 2s2
E.C in K L M N: 2, 2

(v) Boron (Z=5), since not more than 4 electrons can be accommodated in the 1s and 2s
orbitals, the fifth is put in the 2p orbital Thus, the configuration is
E.C in s, p, d, f: 1s2 2s2 2p1
E.C in K L M N: 2, 3

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 (vi) Carbon (Z=6), since not more than 4 electrons can be accommodated in the 1s and 2s
orbitals, the fifth and sixth electron will also go to 2p orbital, hence the electronic
configuration is:
E.C in s, p, d, f: 1s2 2s2 2p2
E.C in K L M N: 2, 4

(vii) Sodium (Z=11), 1s,2s and 2p orbitals gets completed for 10 electrons. Therefore, the
next electron goes to the next available orbital i.e. 3s resulting in the configuration:
E.C in s, p, d, f: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1
E.C in K L M N: 2, 8, 1

(viii) In case of K and Ca, 3p orbital is followed by 4s and not 3d, since 4s has lower
energy as compared with 3d according to order of increasing energies.
a) Potassium (Z= 19)
E.C in s, p, d, f: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1
E.C in K L M N: 2, 8 ,8, 1
b) Calcium Ca (Z= 20)
E.C in s, p, d, f: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2
E.C in K L M N: 2, 8 ,8, 2

(ix) The next available orbital to 4s is 3d and not 4p according to order of increasing
energies.
a) Scandium (Sc) (Z= 21)
E.C in s, p, d, f: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s23d1
E.C in K L M N: 2, 8 ,9, 2
b) Manganese (Mn) (Z= 25)
E.C in s, p, d, f: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d5
E.C in K L M N: 2, 8 ,13, 2
c) Zinc (Zn) (Z= 30)
E.C in s, p, d, f: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10
E.C in K L M N: 2, 8 ,18, 2
.
Periodic table
Elements in the Periodic Table are arranged according to the Atomic Number, which
increases from left to right across the Periodic Table.

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Classification of periodic table into metals, nonmetals and metalloids

The elements in the periodic table are classified into metals, metalloids and non-metals.
The zigzag line separates all the elements that are metals from those that are non-metals.
Metals are found on the left of the line, and non-metals are those on the right. Along the line
you find the metalloids. You should notice that there are more metals then non-metals.
Metals, metalloids and non-metals all have their own specific properties.
Metals
➢ Good conductor of heat and electricity.
➢ Solids at room temperature except mercury is liquid.
➢ Melts at higher temperatures

Nonmetals
➢ Poor conductor of heat and electricity.
➢ Solid and gas at room temperature except bromine is liquid.
➢ Melts at lower temperatures

Metalloids (B, Si, Ge, As, Sb, Te and At)

➢ Have the properties of both metal and nonmetal
➢ Better conductors of heat & electricity than nonmetals but not as good as metals
➢ Used as semiconductors because they can function as conductors or insulators

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Classification of periodic table in to groups and periods
• A vertical column in the Periodic Table is called a group. The group tells us the
number of electrons in a valence shell or outermost shell of an atom.
Elements in the same Group:
❖ Have similar chemical and physical properties.
❖ Have the same number of outer electrons.
❖ Form ions with same charge.

➢ A horizontal row in the Periodic Table is called a period. The period tells us the
number of energy level of an atom.

➢ There are 18 groups and 7 periods.

Periodic trends of the elements

1) Atomic Radius
Atomic radius is the distance between the center of the nucleus of an atom to its outermost
shell or valence shell.

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Across a Group: On moving top to bottom in a group, atomic radius gradually increases
because number of shells or energy levels increases and nuclear charge decrease. For example:
in the group 1 elements, Li has a valence electron of 2s1; Na has a valence electron of 3s1; K
has a valence electron of 4s1; and Rb has a valence electron of 5s1. So, Li has smaller atomic
radius and Rb has higher atomic radius in group 1 elements because Li have only two energy
level and strong nuclear charge while Rb have five energy level and weak nuclear charge.

Across a period: As we move from left to right in a period, atomic radius gradually decreases
because nuclear charge increases due to the electrons are added to the same energy level.
For example: In the period 2, Li has a valence electron of 2s1 and Be has a valence electron of
2s2, electrons are been added to same energy level. So, Li has higher atomic radius and Rb has
smaller atomic radius in period 2 elements

2) Ionization energy
Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an outer electron from atom or ion.
Across a Group: On moving top to bottom in a group, ionization energy gradually
decreases because atomic radius increases and nuclear charge decreases. For example: in
group 2, Mg with more ionization energy and Ba with less ionization energy.
Across a period: As we move from left to right in a period, ionization energy gradually
increases because atomic radius decreases and nuclear charge increases. In period 3, Na
with less ionization energy compare to Cl.

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3) Valence Electrons
Electrons present in the outermost shell of an atom are called valence electrons of that
atom.
Across a Group: Across a group, valence electrons remain constant. It means elements
present in the same group have the same number of valence electrons. For example,
hydrogen, lithium, and sodium elements are present in the 1st group and have the same
number of valence electrons which is one.
Across A Period: As we move left to right across a period in the periodic table, the
number of valence electrons increases.

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4) Reactivity of Elements
Reactivity of Metals: The ability of metals to lose electrons from their outermost shell is
used to determine their reactivity.

Across a Group: In a group, as we move down the group, the tendency to lose electrons
increases. As a result, metal reactivity increases as one moves down the group because
atomic radius increases and nuclear charge decreases.
The reactivity in group 1elements follows the order:
Li < Na < K < Rb < Cs
Least reactive Most reactive

Across a Period: The tendency of an element to lose electrons decreases in going from
left to right in a period. So, the reactivity of metals decreases in a period from left to
right, because atomic radius decreases and nuclear charge increases. For example, the
reactivity of third period elements follows the order.
Na > Mg > Al
Most reactive Least reactive

Reactivity of Non-Metals: The reactivity of a non-metal is measured in terms of its

tendency to gain electrons to form an anion.

Across a Group: The reactivity of non-metals in a group decreases as we go down the

group. This is because the tendency to accept electrons decreases down the group.
The reactivity of halogens follows the order
F > Cl > Br > I
Most reactive Least reactive

Across a Period: The reactivity of non-metals increases from left to right in a period.
During reaction, non-metals tends to form anions. For example, in the second period the
reactivity of non-metals increases in the order.
C < N < O < F
Less reactive More reactive

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 Exercise
Choose the correct answer:

1. Identify the element, whose outermost electrons is 3p5

(a) Cl (b) P (c) Ar (d) O

2. On the Periodic Table, an element classified as a metalloid can be found in

(a) Period 6, Group 18 (c) Period 4, Group 15
(b) Period 3, Group 16 (d) Period 2, Group 14
3. Calculate the total number of: p electrons in N (Z=7), s electrons in Si (Z=14) and 3d
electrons in S (Z=16)
(a) 3, 6, 0 (b) 2,4,1 (c) 6,3,0 (d) 4,0,1

4. All the elements in the group will have the same

(a) Number of protons (c) Number of outer electrons
(b) Valence electrons (d) Both (b) and (c)

5. A particle that contains 8 protons, 9 neutrons and 7 electrons could be written as

(a) 16 8X (b) 17 8X+ (c) 17 9X+ (d) 17 8X

6. Which of the following set does not belong to the same group?
(a) Li, Na, K (b) N, O, F (c) Be, Mg, Ca (d) He, Ne, Ar

7. Which one of the following will have more atomic radius?

(a) Na (b) Mg (c) Cl (d) Si

8. Which of the following metal is more reactive?

(a) Mg (b) Ca (c) Be (d) Ba

9. Which of the following is highly reactive nonmetal?

(a) F (b) Br (c) Cl (d) I

10. The atom of an element has three shells. There are four electrons in its valence shell. The
element is
(a) C (b) Si (c) Be (d) Ar

11. Which of the following will have 6 valence electrons?

(a) Oxygen (b) Carbon (d) Nitrogen (d) Sodium

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Answer the following questions:
1. Write the atomic number and the mass number of atoms, which is least reactive in group
17.

2. Write the electronic configuration of the atom in s, p, d, f and K L M N which belongs to

period =5 and had number of valence electrons =1.

3. Give the symbol of the element described by the following:

(a) Group 4, Period 2
(b) Group 15, Period 3

4. Write the electronic configuration of an atom which belongs to group 12 and period 4 and
determine the following:
(a) Number of electrons in the d atomic orbitals.
(b) Number of electrons in the p atomic orbitals.

5. Why is the radius of a phosphorous atom larger than the radius of a nitrogen atom but
smaller than the radius of a silicon atom?

6. Arrange atoms of the following elements in order of decreasing atomic radius: Mg, S and
Na.

7. Indicate the element in each that has the higher ionization energy and explain your
choice.
(a) K or Na

(b) F or N

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8. Arrange Sn, Sr and I in order of the increasing ionization energies

9. The electronic configuration of four elements are given below.

A - 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p5
B - 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2
C- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6
D- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6
(a) Write the group and period of the above element.

(b) Write the name of the elements A, B, C and D from the periodic table.

References:

https://sciencenotes.org/parts-of-an-atom/

https://quizlet.com/351710076/periodic-table-groups-periods-valence-electrons-and-blocks-
diagram

http://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/genchem/topicreview/bp/ch7/ie_ea.html

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