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As Level Atomic Structure

An atom is the smallest particle of an element, consisting of subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. The nucleus contains protons and neutrons, while electrons occupy fixed energy levels or shells around the nucleus. Understanding atomic structure is essential for explaining chemical reactions, bonding, and the properties of elements in AS Level Chemistry.

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4 views9 pages

As Level Atomic Structure

An atom is the smallest particle of an element, consisting of subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. The nucleus contains protons and neutrons, while electrons occupy fixed energy levels or shells around the nucleus. Understanding atomic structure is essential for explaining chemical reactions, bonding, and the properties of elements in AS Level Chemistry.

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26oceanviewrd
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© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Atomic Structure

AS Level Chemistry
What is an Atom?
An atom is the smallest particle of an element that can exist and still retain the
chemical properties of that element. Atoms are made up of smaller subatomic
particles.
Subatomic Particles
There are three main subatomic particles: protons, neutrons and electrons.
Protons have a positive charge, neutrons have no charge and electrons have a
negative charge.
Relative Charge and Mass
Protons have a relative charge of +1 and a relative mass of 1. Neutrons have a
relative charge of 0 and a relative mass of 1. Electrons have a relative charge of −1
and a very small relative mass of 1/1836.
The Nucleus
The nucleus is found at the centre of the atom and contains protons and neutrons.
Most of the mass of the atom is concentrated in the nucleus.
Electron Shells and Energy Levels
Electrons move around the nucleus in fixed energy levels or shells. Electrons in
higher energy levels are further away from the nucleus.
Atomic Number and Mass Number
The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. The mass
number is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.
Isotopes
Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons but
different numbers of neutrons. This means they have the same atomic number but
different mass numbers.
Why Atomic Structure Matters
Understanding atomic structure helps explain chemical reactions, bonding and the
properties of elements. It forms the foundation of many topics in AS Level
Chemistry.

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