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CHE 120/140/170 Handout – The Atom and Subatomic Particles The Atom and Subatomic Particles We represent atoms with atomic symbols. For instance, carbon is represented with C. In this course, you are expected to know the atomic symbols for elements with the following atomic numbers: 1-38, 47, 48, 50, 53-56, 74, 78-80, 82, 86, 88, 92 and 94. All atoms are made up of fundamental subatomic particles. The fundamental subatomic particles that we will concern ourselves with are the electrons, protons and neutrons. Sometimes we want to specify how many of these particles are in a particular atom. This can be done by writing the complete nuclear symbol: ܺ. Here X is the atomic symbol, A is the mass number and Z is the atomic number. Remember that the atomic number is the same as the number of protons, and since atoms are neutral, it is also the number of electrons! Now, it is easy to confuse mass number with the atomic mass. These numbers can be similar, but they are different! The mass number is simply the sum of the protons and the neutrons in an atom. Thus, it will always be a whole number. The atomic mass is the weighted average of all the isotopes of that element, so it does not have to be a whole number. Complete the following table. Be sure to give what is asked for! The first one is done as an example. Name Symbol Atomic Mass carbon C 12.0107 amu Number of Protons 6 Number of Electrons 6 Number of Neutrons 6 potassium Mass Number 12 Complete Nuclear Symbol ଵଶ ܥ 39 6 8 Ag 107 Ag 109 ଶଶ ଵܰ݁ 238.029 amu 143 3 3 zinc 34 28 58 32.065 amu 33 copper 36 35 Atom and Subatomic Particles.docx 46 Page 1 of 1