UNIT 5.
The atomic structure of matter
1. Atomic models
Atomic models represent how the concept of atom has changed throughout the history.
They are an example of the scientific method, and how new evidence can change the
model that was previously accepted.
1.1 Dalton’s atomic model (1803)
Even though the Word atom was first used by the Greek philosophers Leucippus and
Democritus (around 5th -4th century b.C.) the first atomic model with scientific evidence
was proposed by Dalton. It is based on the Law of Conservation of Mass (Lavoisier,
1789) In a chemical reaction, the mass is conserved.
Dalton’s atomic model states that:
Matter is formed by individual and indivisible atoms
Atoms of a given element (pure substance that cannot be decomposed into other
subjects) are identical and different from the atoms of other element.
Atoms of different elements combine to form a compound.
In chemical reactions, atoms are combined, separated or rearranged. They are not
created nor destroyed.
The atom according to Dalton
1.2 Thomson’s atomic model (1897)
Thomson discovered the electron with the Cathode Ray Experiment. The electron is a
subatomic particle with negative charge. Therefore, Thomson disproves Dalton’s idea
about the atom being indivisible.
Thomson proposes the plum pudding atomic model: the negative-charged electrons were
embedded within a positively-charged fluid sphere (in order to have net
charge).
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UNIT 5. Atomic Structure of Mater
1.3 Rutherford’s atomic Model (1911)
Rutherford discovered the atomic nucleous thanks to
the gold foil experiment. This model states that:
The atom has a
nucleus which is
positively charged and where practically all the
mass of the atom is concentrated.
The electrons are in the peripheral zone (electron
shell) and orbit around the nucleus.
1.4 Bohr’s atomic model (1913)
This model is similar to Rutherford’s, but Bohr discovers that the
electrons are located on specific orbits.
1.5 Present model
Nowadays, we know that the atomic nucleus is formed by protons (positive charge) and
neutrons (neutral charge).
The electrons are outside the nucleus, so most
of the atom is empty.
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UNIT 5. Atomic Structure of Mater
2. Atomic structure of matter:
As the present model states, the atom is formed by protons and
neutrons (nucleus) and electrons.
Characteristics of subatomic particles in the units of the
International System:
Mass (kg) Charge (C)
proton 1, 67 · 10 – 27 +1, 60 · 10 – 19
neutron 1, 68 · 10 – 27 0
electron 9,11 · 10 – 31 – 1, 60 · 10 – 19
As you can observe, mass and charge of subatomic particles in the units of the
International System implies obtaining very small numbers. Therefore, when we work at an
atomic scale is much more convenient to use other units, which are the following:
Atomic mass unit (amu): 1 amu = mass of a neutron = mass of a proton
Unit of electric charge (e)= 1 e = (+) charge of a proton = (-) charge of an electron
Mass (amu) Charge (e)
The mass of the electron is much smaller
proton 1 +1
that the mass of the proton or the neutron.
neutron 1 0
Therefore, we do not count their
electron 0,0005 –1 contribution to the mass of the atom.
(we count it
as zero). In a neutral atom, the number of electrons
is the same as the number of protons.
2.1 Atomic number and mass number
To represent atoms, we use two numbers to know the number of subatomic particles in
that element:
Atomic number (Z): number of protons. It is specific for every atom (like its ID).
For example, Chlorine always has 17 protons, hydrogen always has 1, and
potassium always has 19.
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UNIT 5. Atomic Structure of Mater
Mass number (A): number of protons + neutrons. Remember that the
contribution of the electrons to the atomic mass is so small that we can assume it
is zero.
Representation of atoms using Z and A : we can use the representation to find out the
number of protons, electrons and neutrons.
Protons =7
14
( mass number ) A 7 N Neutrons = 14-7 =7
( atomic number ) Z X n ± (charge ) Electrons = 7
2.2 Ions
An ion is an atom with positive or negative charge:
Negative ion or anion: If the atom gains electrons it acquires a negative
charge (the electron has a negative charge). The charge is the same as the number of
electrons gained. Example:189 F− This anion has 10 electrons, given that it has gained one
(negative charge of -1).
Positive ion or cation: If the atom loses electrons it acquires positive charge.
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The carge equals the number of electrons that are lost. Example: 11 Na+ ¿¿ This cation
has 10 electrons, given that it has lost one (positive charge of +1).
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UNIT 5. Atomic Structure of Mater
3. Periodic table
The periodic table is the organized array of all the chemical elements in order of increasing
atomic number
In our planet, there are 90 natural elements. The periodic table is formed by 118 elements.
Technetium (Z = 43), promethium (Z = 59) and al lof the elements from Uranium (Z = 92)
are synthetic elements.
To represent the elements, we use their chemical symbol (one or two letters, the first one
in capital letter.
The elements are organized in:
Periods (rows): 7 periods.
- Short periods:
Periods 1, 2 y 3, formed by 2, 8 and 8 elements respectively.
- Long periods:
Periods 4, 5, 6 and 7, with 18, 18, 32 and 32 elements respectively.
Groups or families (columns): 18 groups.
The groups have elements with the same chemical properties. They are identified
with their number (1 to 18), but they also have specific names.
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UNIT 5. Atomic Structure of Mater
The long form of the periodic table is shown here. Take into account that the number of the
groups changes if we use this disposition:
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 3
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 12 14 20 23 26 28 31 32
0 1 3 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 4 5 7 9 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Names of the groups: Chalcogens, or
oxygen family
The nitrogen
Alkaline earth metals The boron group
group
Halogens, or fluorine
Alkali metals Transition elements The carbon group group
Noble gases
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
H He
Li Be B C N O F Ne
Sc
Y
La
Ac
Lantánidos o
lantanoides
Actínidos o
actinoides
2
Hydrogen does not belong to any group.
Elements are also classified in:
Metals: the majority of elements. They tend to lose electrons, therefore forming cations. This is
why they are good conductors of electricity (movement of electrons).
Nonmetals: they tend to lose electrons. Take into account that the hydrogen is a nonmetal as
well.
Metalloids: intermediate in their properties: B, Si, Ge, As, Sb, Te and Po.
Noble gases: they do not tend to lose nor to gain electrons.
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UNIT 5. Atomic Structure of Mater
4. Chemical bonds
Almost all the substance found in Nature are formed by combination of atoms. Noble
gases, however, are usually found in Nature as isolated atoms.
The atoms combine to form molecules, compounds or crystals forming chemical bonds.
Depending on the type of atom the substances can be classified in:
Elements: pure substances made up of only one type of atom. For example, a gold bar.
Pure gold is formed only by gold
atoms (Au in the periodic table).
Compounds: pure substances made up of two or more different types of elements. For
example: water (H2O), sodium chloride (NaCl).
Depending on the
number of atoms that combine, we
can distinguish two different structures:
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UNIT 5. Atomic Structure of Mater
Molecule: Discrete group of two or more atoms. For example, water is formed by 2
atoms of oxygen and one atom of hydrogen; molecular oxygen (O 2) is formed by two
atoms of oxygen, and ammonia is formed by one atom of nitrogen and three atoms of
hydrogen (NH3):
Crystal: large amount of atoms that is arranged in a repeating pattern. For example,
in sodium chloride (NaCl), there is an atom of sodium per atom of chlorine (the formula
indicates the proportion). The atoms arrange forming a crystal with the following
tridimensional structure:
Another example of crystal is the diamond (atoms of carbon).
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UNIT 5. Atomic Structure of Mater