STRUCTURE OF ATOM

STRUCTURE OF THE ATOM

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1a) Charged particles in matter :-

1.       Atoms have three types of sub atomic particles. They are         electrons, protons and neutrons. 
2.        Electrons are negatively charged (e^-), protons are positively charged (p⁺) and neutrons have no charge (n).
3.      The mass of an electron is 1/2000 the mass of a hydrogen atom.
4.  The mass of a proton is equal to the mass of a hydrogen atom and is taken as 1 unit. 
5. The mass of a neutron is equal to the mass of a hydrogen atom and is and is taken as 1 unit.

b) Discovery of sub atomic particles :-

      In 1900, J.J.Thomson discovered the presence of the negatively charged particles called electrons in the atom.

      In 1886, E. Goldstein discovered new radiations in gas discharge and called them canal rays. These rays were positively charged. This later led to the discovery of the positively charged particles called protons in the atom.

      In 1932 Chadwick discovered the presence of particles having no charge in the atom called neutrons.

2) Structure of an atom :-

 a) Thomson’s model of an atom :-

       (PLUM PUDDING or RAISIN BUN MODEL)

     According to Thomson an atom is similar to a Christmas pudding. The pudding had positive charge and the electrons having negative charge were like plums on the pudding.

    He proposed that :-

 i) An atom consists of a positively charged sphere and the electrons are

    embedded in it.

ii) The negative and positive charges are equal in magnitude So the atom as a whole is electrically neutral.

b) Rutherford’s model of an atom :-

    Rutherford’s alpha scattering experiment :-

     Rutherford allowed a beam of fast moving alpha particles ( α –

particles) having positive charge to fall on a thin gold foil. He observed that :-

   i) Most of the α – particles passed straight through the gold foil.

  ii) Some of the α – particles were slightly deflected by small angles.

 iii) Very few α – particles appeared to rebound.

      Conclusions from Rutherford’s  alpha scattering
      experiment :-

   i) Most of the space inside an atom is empty. (because most of the α –

      particles passed straight through the gold foil.)

 ii) The atom had a small nucleus having positive charge. ( because

      some of the α – particles  having positive charge were slightly

      deflected by small angles.)

iii) The size of the nucleus is very small compared to the size of the

      atom. (because very few α – particles appeared to rebound and

      most of the positive charge and mass of the atom is in the nucleus.)

      Rutherford’s model of an atom :-

  i) An atom has a positively charged nucleus at its centre and most of

      the mass of the atom is in the nucleus.

 ii) The electrons revolve around the nucleus in different orbits.

iii) The size of the nucleus is very small compared to the size of the 

      atom.

  Defects of Rutherford’s model of the atom :-

  Any particle in a circular orbit would undergo acceleration and during acceleration the charged particle would radiate energy. So the revolving electrons would lose energy and fall into the nucleus and the atom would be unstable. We know that atoms are stable.

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c) Bohr’s model of an atom :-

  i) An atom has a positively charged nucleus at its centre and most of

     the mass of the atom is in the nucleus.

ii) The electrons revolve around the nucleus in special orbits called

     discrete orbits.

iii) These orbits are called shells or energy levels and are represented

      by the letters K, L, M, N etc. or numbered as 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.

iv) While revolving in the discrete orbits the electrons do not radiate

     energy.

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3) Distribution of electrons in different shells :-

   The distribution of electrons in the different shells was suggested by Bohr and Bury. The following are the rules for filling electrons in the different shells.

  i) The maximum number of electrons in a shell is given by

     the formula 2n² where n is the number of the shell 1, 2, 3

     etc.

    First shell or K shell can have      = 2n²  = 2 x 1²  = 2x1x1 = 2 electrons    

    Second shell or L shell can have = 2n² = 2 x 2²   = 2x2x2 = 8 electrons

    Third shell or M shell can have    = 2n² =  2 x 3²    = 2x3x3 = 18 electrons

     Fourth shell or N shell can have = 2n² =  2 x 4²    = 2x4x4 = 32 electrons

     and so on.

ii) The maximum number of electrons that can be filled in the outermost   shell is 8.

iii) Electrons cannot be filled in a shell unless the inner shells are filled.

 

Composition of the atoms of the first eighteen  elements :-

4) Valency :-

•         Valency is the combining capacity of an atom of an element.
•       The electrons present in the outermost shell of an atom are called valence electrons.
•       If an atom’s outermost shell is completely filled, they are inert or least reactive and their combining capacity or valency is zero.
•      Of the inert elements Helium atom has 2 electrons in the outermost shell and the atoms of other elements have  8 electrons in their outermost shell. Atoms having 8 electrons in their outermost shell is having octet configuration and are stable.
•      If an atom’s outermost shell is not completely filled it is not stable. It will try to attain stability by losing, gaining or sharing electrons with other atoms to attain octet configuration.
•      The number of electrons lost, gained or shared by an atom to attain octet configuration is the combining capacity or valency of the element

     Eg :- Hydrogen, Lithium, Sodium atoms can easily lose 1 electron and become stable. So their valency is 1. Magnesium can easily lose 2 electrons. So its valency is 2. Aluminium can easily lose 3 electrons. So its valency is 3. Carbon shares 4 electrons. So its valency is 4.            Fluorine can easily gain 1 electron and become stable. So its valency is 1. Oxygen can easily gain 2 electrons. So its valency is 2. Nitrogen can easily gain 3 electrons. So its valency is 3.

   

     

5) Atomic number and Mass number :-

a) Atomic number (Z) :-

    The atomic number of an element is the number of protons present in the

nucleus of the atom of the element.

    All the atoms of an element have the same atomic number.

   Eg :- Hydrogen – Atomic number = 1 (1 proton)

            Helium      - Atomic number  = 2 (2 protons)

            Lithium     - Atomic number  = 3 (3 protons)

b) Mass number (A) :-

   The mass number of an element is the  sum of the number of protons and

neutrons (nucleons) present in the nucleus of an atom of the element.

   The mass of an atom is mainly the mass of the protons and neutrons in the nucleus of the atom.

Eg :- Carbon – Mass number = 12 (6 protons + 6 neutrons) Mass = 12u

   Aluminium – Mass number = 27 (13 protons + 14 neutrons) Mass = 27u

        Sulphur – Mass number = 32 (16 protons + 16 neutrons) Mass = 32u

   In the notation of an atom the  atomic number and mass number are written as:-             

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6) Isotopes :-

    Isotopes are atoms of the same element having the same atomic numbers but different mass numbers.

   Eg :- Hydrogen has three isotopes. They are Protium, Deuterium (D) and Tritium (T).

   

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  Carbon has two common isotopes C-12 and C-14 (Though a less common but stable C-13 is also present). They are :-

      

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 Chlorine has two main isotopes Cl-35 & Cl-37 (though a less common Cl-36 is also formed).They are :-

  

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7) Isobars :-

    Isobars are atoms of different elements having different atomic numbers but same mass numbers.

    These pairs of elements have the same number of nucleons.

   Eg :- Calcium (Ca) – atomic number - 20 and Argon (Ar) – atomic number 18 have different atomic numbers but have the same mass numbers – 40.

            Iron (Fe) and Nickel (Ni) have different atomic numbers but have the same atomic mass numbers – 58.   

                                          

                        HISTORICAL