Name Symbol Mass Charge Location

protons p+ 1u 1+ part of the nucleus

neutron n° 1u 0 part of the nucleus
– 1
electron e u 1– normally at large
6 • Structure of the Atom 1837
The Subatomic Particles distances from the
(1 of 8) nucleus

J.J. Thompson is given credit for discovering electrons

using a Crookes tube and testing many different gases.
Cathode rays were found to be beams of electrons.

Cavendish is given credit for the discovery of the neutron.

atoms the smallest particle of an element . It

consists of a central nucleus and electron
clouds outside the nucleus.
nucleus the dense central portion of an atom.
6 • Structure of the Atom subatomic smaller than an atom. The proton,
neutron, and electron are subatomic
Terms I-- Atomic Structure particles.
(2 of 8)
net charge the difference in the positive charge due to
protons and the negative charge due to
electrons in an atom.
nucleons the particles that make up the nucleus.

atomic number the number of protons in an atom. This

number determines the identity of an
element.
mass number the number of protons + neutrons
6 • Structure of the Atom isotopes atoms with the same number of protons,
Terms II-- Atomic Structure but different numbers of neutrons. Atoms
(3 of 8) with the same atomic number, but
different mass numbers.
isotopic notation shorthand notation for a nucleus that
shows the mass #, atomic # and the
238
symbol. U-238 would be 92 U

Any real sample of an element contains more than one

naturally occuring isotope. For instance, boron
isotope abundance mass # isotopic mass
10
6 • Structure of the Atom boron-10 5 B 19.78% 10 mass = 10.013 u
Calculating Atomic Mass 11
boron-11 5 B 80.22% 11 mass = 11.009 u
(4 of 8)
The atomic mass is the weighted average of the isotopes.
(19.78%)(10.013u) + (80.22%)(11.0009u)
at. mass = or
100
at. mass = (0.1978)(10.013u) + (0.8022)(11.0009u) =10.81 u
 Consider the following symbol: 16S2–
33

The 16 is the atomic number which is the number of

protons.
6 • Structure of the Atom The 33 is the mass number which is the mass of one of the
Determining Numbers of Protons, Neutrons, isotopes. This mass is due to the protons and neutrons.
and Electrons from the Isotopic Notation
(5 of 8) The number of neutrons is the mass number - the atomic
number. 33 - 16 = 17 neutrons.
Since the charge is 2-, there are 2 more electrons than
protons. In this case, there are 18 electrons.

Democritus [atomos]
philosopher who decided that matter was discontinuous
John Dalton [billiard-ball model]
experiments with gases… different substances are
6 • Structure of the Atom different combinations of atoms
J.J. Thomson [plum-pudding model]
Important People in the Development of the experiments with gas-discharge tubes… atoms have
Atomic Theory positive and negative parts… the negative electrons are
(6 of 8) the same from atom to atom
Ernest Rutherford [nuclear model/solar system model]
most of the mass of the atom is concentrated in a tiny,
positively-charged nucleus
Niels Bohr [Bohr Model (quantized e- energy levels/orbits)]
the electrons had only certain allowed energy levels

The Law of Conservation of Mass

the mass of all the reactant molecules = the mass of all the
product molecules
The Law of Definite Composition
6 • Structure of the Atom the percentage composition of any sample of a substance
Early Experimental Observations That Would is the same
Later Be Explained By The Atomic Theory
(7 of 8) The Law of Multiple Proportions
when two compounds made of the same two elements
(such as CO and CO2) are broken down to give the same
mass of one element… the masses of the other element
will be in simple whole-number ratio.

Ernest Rutherford’s classic gold foil experiment led to the

nuclear model of the atom.
most alpha's
α came straight
α gold foil through here
6 • Structure of the Atom a few bounced back
Rutherford’s Gold Foil Experiment at a large angle
(8 of 8) • the nucleus is tiny - because most of the alpha’s missed
the nucleus and went straight through the foil
• the nucleus is positively charged - because the (+)
charged alpha was repelled by the (+) charged nucleus
• the nucleus is incredibly dense - because the nucleus was
able to bounce back at a very large angle