Showing posts with label atomic structure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label atomic structure. Show all posts

Saturday, 19 March 2016

1.15 deduce the number of outer electrons in a main group element from its position in the periodic table

Elements in group one have 1 electron on their outer shell
Elements in group two have 2 electrons on their outer shell
Elements in group three have 3 electrons on their outer shell
Elements in group four have 4 electrons on their outer shell
Elements in group five have 5 electrons on their outer shell
Elements in group six have 6 electrons on their outer shell
Elements in group seven have 7 electrons on their outer shell
Elements in group eight have 8 electrons on their outer shell

Therefore, all you need to do to find the number of outer electrons an element has is work out which group it is n the periodic table.

1.14 deduce the electronic configurations of the first 20 elements from their positions in the periodic table

The arrangement of electrons into shells for an atom is known as its 'electronic configuration'.

The first row pf the periodic table has 2 electrons in its complete shell, all of the others have 8 (as far as GCSE is aware).
They are given in shorthand notations, e.g.
Carbon is on the second row and has 6 electrons altogether (4 on its outer shell, 2 on its first shell) so its electron configuration would be 2.4
Magnesium is on the third row, has 12 electrons altogether (2 on its first shell, 8 on its second and 2 on its outer), so its electron configuration would be 2.8.2

As we are given a periodic table in the exam, we don't have to remember all of the electron configurations for the first 20 elements, we just be able to state them if asked.

1.13 understand that the periodic table is an arrangement of elements in order of atomic number

Hydrogen, the first element has an atomic number of 1, the next (helium) has an atomic number of 2, this pattern continues throughout the table...
periodic_table_complete.png

Thursday, 17 March 2016

1.12 calculate the relative atomic mass of an element from the relative abundances of its isotopes

There is variation is the relative atomic mass (mass of one atom) due to isotopes - different isotopes will weigh more due to more or less neutrons

It is calculated using this equation...

(% of isotope x its mass) + (% of isotope x its mass) / 100

this looks very confusing, but heres how to apply it to an element...

Example (chlorine)

75% of all chlorine has a mass of 35 and the rest (25%) has a mass of 37

now substitute it into the equation above...

(75 x 35) + (25 x 37) / 100 = 35.5

NOTE: do not worry about learning all the isotopes for every element, in the exam, should they pose a question like this, they will give you the % and masses.

Wednesday, 16 March 2016

1.11 understand the terms atomic number, mass number, isotopes and reptile atomic mass (Ar)

Atomic number - The number of protons (also the number of electrons)

Mass number - number of protons + neutrons (the number of stuff in the nucleus)

Isotopes - different atomic forms of the same element, which have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons

Relative atomic mass (Ar) - the mass of one atom of the element (/compound)

1.10 recall the relative atomic mass and relative charge of a proton, neutron and electron

Proton - Relative mass: 1, relative charge: +1
Neutron - relative mass: 1, relative charge 0 
Electron - relative mass: 1/1800, relative charge -1

1.9 understand that atoms consist of a central nucleus, composed of protons and neutrons, surrounded by electrons, orbiting in shells

The answer to this one is kind of in the question, you just need to understand that...

- atoms consist of a central nucleus (there is a nucleus that is in the centre of the atom)
- the nucleus is made up of protons and neutrons (the nucleus has a positive charge due to the positive protons and neutral neutrons)
- electrons orbit the nucleus in shells - the first shell contains two electrons when full, all the others contain 8 when full.