Download Atom/Elements Study Guide

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Atom/Elements Study Guide
You need to make sure you review the Resources that have been posted on the blog in the
homework section for the past three classes…all these are solid study aids!
Listed below are some of the key concepts and questions you should be able to answer – the quiz
format will include some objective questions, some essays, diagrams, as well as cartoons, and some
matching tasks
Answer all questions (marked with a *) in the space provided
Basic Concepts
The atom is the smallest particle that cannot be broken down by ordinary means; it is the building block of all
matter.
A neutral atom is one that carries no charge because the protons (+) and electrons (-) are equal, therefore
balancing each other out.
Elements are the simple building blocks of all substances, each element of the 92 naturally occurring elements
are made of a unique atom with a different number of protons.
Chemical compounds are created when different elements react and combine chemically.
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ANALOGY TIME! Think of elements like the LETTERS of the alphabet, some letters can combine to
form WORDS which would be like the chemical compounds. Just like some letters do not combine to
make words, some elements will not react to form compounds
Just like when letters combine to form words, those words take on new meanings….compounds are
exactly the same, they take on properties different from the properties of the elements that make them
up. Think about water: Hydrogen (Element - flammable gas) + Oxygen (Element - flammable gas)
react to form Water (a stable, non-flammable liquid)
Atomic Structure
What is the electrical charge and position in the atom for each of the subatomic particles?
1. Electron - negative charge; located in a “cloud” rotating around the nucleus
2. Proton – positive charge; located in the center or nucleus of the atom
3. Neutron - no charge; located in the center or nucleus of the atom
* What subatomic particles are in the nucleus of the atom and what is the overall charge of the nucleus?
* The atom is composed mostly of empty space. Explain what this statement means…
* Where is 99.9% of the mass of the atom located?
* How many electrons can exist in each of the electron shells (or ‘orbitals’, or ‘energy levels’)?
* Which two subatomic particles have approximately the same mass?
* Atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons are called ______________ .
Periodic Table
Elements in the periodic table are arranged by atomic number OR the number of protons.
An element’s properties can be predicted from its location in the periodic table.
The ATOMIC NUMBER of an element is equal to the number of protons.
The MASS NUMBER is simply the atomic mass (decimal from the table) rounded to the nearest whole number.
How can you find the number of neutrons in an atom? MASS NUMBER – ATOMIC NUMBER
* What makes one element different from another? (yes, they all have different properties, but what gives each
element different properties..?)
Using the Periodic Table
Draw a Bohr model of the element Chlorine, Cl.
Draw Bohr models of Carbon isotopes with atomic masses (or ‘mass numbers’) of 11 and 13 amu.
Chemical Reactions
Think about the chemical reaction: Mg + HCl
=>
MgCl2 + H2
* CIRCLE the REACTANTS of this chemical reaction
* UNDERLINE the PRODUCTS of this chemical reaction
Think about the chemical reaction: H2 + O2 => H2O
* What TYPE of bond is water (IONIC or COVALENT)?
* Explain the difference between these two types of bonds … you need to talk about the VALENCE
ELECTRONS
* Is it likely for two metals (Sodium and Magnesium for example) to have a chemical reaction? Explain why
or why not in terms of the VALENCE ELECTRONS of each of their atoms.
Compare atomic number and atomic mass number. Atomic number is the number of protons. The atomic mass
number represents all of the matter in the atom – the whole numbers represent the sum of protons + neutrons.
Atomic number = # of protons
Atomic Mass = protons + neutrons
* If an atom has 43 electrons, 56 neutrons, & 43 protons, what is the atomic mass? What is the element?
* Why are the atomic masses in the periodic table not whole numbers?
* Describe the patterns in the periodic table. To help guide your answer: What do elements in the same ROW
of the periodic table have in common? What do elements in same COLUMN have in common?
Write the chemical symbol and name for each of the elements based on the clues below. Write your answers in
the table:
Explain in your own words WHY some atoms bond (or react) with each other, while other
atoms do not bond (or react) with each other …. In other words, what are atoms trying to
accomplish by forming ionic or covalent bonds?
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* Complete the chart:
Symbol
Ca
Atomi
c
#
2
0
5
U
N
a
1
7
1
1
Mas
s
#
40
9
6
1
2
3
5
238
#
of
proton
s
42
#
o
f
electron
s
5
#
of
neutron
s
5
6
9
2
1
2