ATOMIC STRUCTURE
What is an ATOM?
o All matter is made from atoms
oThe configuration of the atom :
Protons
Neutrons
Electrons
oThe Atom is the basic building
block of everything around us
Subatomic particle
The atom’s Protons and Neutrons are in the
Nucleus
Protons and neutrons have almost exactly the same
mass.
Protons are much larger and heavier than electrons.
Neutrons are large and heavy like protons; however
neutrons have no electrical charge.
The atom’s Electrons orbit around the nucleus at
different levels, called shells
A shell is sometimes called an orbital or energy level.
Shells are areas that surround the center of an atom.
Electrons are tiny, very light particles that have a negative electrical
charge (-)
Electrons have a mass that is about 1/1835 the mass of a proton.
The electron is constantly spinning around the center of the
atom (called the nucleus).
In actuality, the electron is a wave that surrounds the nucleus of
an atom like a cloud.
Hydrogen: a proton surrounded by an electron cloud
Subatomic Mass (kg) Charge (C) Relative
particle charge
proton 1.672 x 10-27 1.672 x 10-27 +1
neutron 1.675 x 10-27 0 0
electron 0.910 x 10-30 1.672 x 10-27 -1
Example
A Hydrogen Atom
The atom above, made up of one proton
and one electron
The proton and electron stay together,
just like two magnets.
Stable configuration
Stable elements have equal numbers of
Electrons
Protons
Neutrons
Stable elements have a neutral charge
1 Electron (-) plus
1 Proton (+) plus
1 Neutron (0) =
NO CHARGE
Atomic number And atomic
mass
As you add electrons, protons and neutrons, the size of the atom
increases.
We can measure an atom's size in two ways: using the atomic number
(Z) or using the atomic mass (A, also known as the mass number).
Z= no. of proton in the element
For hydrogen the atomic number, Z, is equal to 1. For helium Z = 2.
Z also tells you the number of electrons in the neutral atom.
A= Z + N (neutron)
Therefore, the atomic mass, A, of hydrogen is 1. For helium A = 4.
a.m.u
For hydrogen the atomic mass is 1.00797. When we hear
the term atomic mass we think of the mass of an atom.
For example the mass of a hydrogen atom is 1.6726 x 10-
24 grams. The two numbers are different!
a.m.u is a relative mass to a particular carbon atom.
The carbon atom selected is the carbon atom with 6
protons, 6 electrons and 6 neutrons.
1 a.m.u = 1/12 of atomic mass isotope carbon 12
1 amu = 1.6598 x 10-27kg
1 mole of substance= 6.023x10-23 atoms/molecules
1 a.m.u/atom or molecule = 1 g/mol
E.g platinium -= 195.08 amu/atom or 195.08 g/mol
Isotopes and isoton (isobar)
Isotopes- atoms of the same elements with diff. atomic masses ( dif.
No. of Neutron).
For example, an isotope of hydrogen
Hydrogen Deuterium
Atomic Mass = 1 Atomic Mass = 2
Atomic Number = 1 Atomic Number = 1
12 13 14
Isotopes of carbon, 6 C , 6 C, 6 C
Isoton/isobar: Diff. elements with same atomic mass
E.g argon-40 (18p +22 n) and calcium -40 (20 p +20n)
Electron configuration of the
elements
electron configuration is the arrangement of
electrons in an atom, molecule or other body
Electrons are on the shells around the nucleus.
Each shell has a name
The first shell is k
Followed by l, m, n, o, p & q
Shells hold only a limited number of electrons
Different shells hold different numbers
K holds only 2 electrons
L holds 8 electrons
M holds up to 18 electrons
Each shell (energy level) consist of subshell
(sublevel).
Each type of sublevel holds a different orbitals.
An orbital is a space that can be occupied by up to
two electrons
The number of available electron states in some of the electron
shells and subshells
Principal Shell Subshells Number of Number of electron
Quantum Designation states Per subshell Per shell
number, n
1 K s 1 2 2
2 L s 1 2 8
p 3 6
3 M s 1 2 18
p 3 6
d 5 10
4 N s 1 2 32
p 3 6
d 5 10
f 7 14
Atomic Bonding in solids
Three types of primary or chemical bond
are found in solids
Ionic
Covalent inter atomic bonding
Metallic
Secondary Bonding
Van der Waals
Hydrogen Bonding
Ionic Bonding
Electron are transferred to form a bond
Often found in compounds composed of
electropositive elements (metals) and
electronegative elements (non metals)
Na valance Cl valance -1
+1
Ionic Bonding General
Characteristics
Bonding Energy 150-370 Kcal/mol
Nondirectional Bond- strength of bond equal in
all directions
Low electrical conductivity- entire ion must
move to conduct electricity
Transparent, brittle, high melting temperature
Examples- NaCl 183 Kcal/mol, LiF 240
Kcal/mol
Covalent Bonding
Electrons are shared to form a bond
Covalent Bonding General
Characteristics
Bonding energy 75-300 Kcal/mol
Covalent bonding most frequently occurs
between atoms with similar electronegativities.
Directional bond-strength of bond is not equal
in all directions
Low electrical conductivity
Very hard, high melting temperature
Examples Si 84 Kcal/mol, GaAs 75 Kcal/mol,
Diamond 170 Kcal/mol
Metallic Bonding
Founds in metals and
their alloys
Metallic Bonding General
Characteristics
Bonding energy 25-200 Kcal/mol
Nondirectional Bond-strength of bond is equal in
all directions
Good electrical conductivity-cloud electron are
free to move to conduct electricity
Ductile, opaque
Examples Na 26 Kcal/mol, Al 74 Kcal/mol, Cu 81
Kcal/mol
It involves the delocalized sharing of free
electrons among a lattice of metal atoms.
Secondary Bonding
Van der Waals Bonding
Weak secondary bond (< 10 Kcal/mol)
Often bonding force between molecules
Example- PVC can be deformed by breaking
Van der Waals bonds between molecules
Hydrogen Bonding
Special type of secondary bond between
some molecules containing H
Example – bonds between molecules of
water
molecules
molecule is considered the smallest particle of
a pure chemical substance that still retains its
composition and chemical properties.
Most common molecules are bound together
by strong covalent bonds
i.e F2, O2, H2 (diatomic molecules) or H2O, CO2
(host of compounds)
The smallest molecule is the hydrogen
molecule
