Table below shows the scientists that contribute to the development of the Model of Atom.
John Dalton |
|
J.J. Thomson ![]() | The electrons were positioned uniformly throughout the atom. |
Ernest Rutherford![]() |
|
Neils Bohr![]() |
|
James Chadwick![]() |
|
2) Modern Atomic Model
According to the modern atomic model,
- The central nucleus consists of protons and neutrons. It containing almost all the mass of the atom.
- the nucleus of an atom is very small compared to the size of the atom
- the electrons are orbiting outside the nucleus in the electron shells
- the electrons are moving in electron shells at a very high speed and we cannot determine the position of the electrons at a particular time
3) The Subatomic Particles Of An Atom
- Atoms are made up of tiny particles called subatomic particles.
- An atom contains three types of subatomic particles:
- proton,
- neutron and
- electron,
- The proton and neutron form the nucleus at the centre of an atom. They are also called the nucleon of an atom.
- The electron moves around the nucleus at a very high speed.
- The nucleus is positively charged because of the presence of protons, which are positively charged. The neutrons are neutral.
- The symbols, charge and relative masses of proton, neutron and electron are as below.
| Particle | Symbol | Relative charge | Relative mass |
| Proton |
p
|
+1
|
1
|
| Neutron |
n
|
0
|
1
|
| Electron |
e
|
-1
|
1/1840
|
4) The Charge Of Particles
- A neutral atom contains the same number of electrons as the protons.
- The positive and negative charges of the protons and electrons respectively neutralise each other, for example, (+4) + (-4) = 0
- If the number of protons is greater than the number of electron, the particle is positively charge.
- If the number of protons is greater than the number of electron, the particle is positively charge.
| Number of proton | Number of electron |
Charge
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
5
|
2
|
+3
|
9
|
10
|
-1
|
11
|
10
|
+3
|
16
|
18
|
-2
|
17
|
18
|
-1
|
20
|
18
|
+3
|
5) Proton Number And Nucleon Number
- Proton number = the number of protons
- Nucleon number = Number of protons + Number of neutrons
Proton Number
- The proton number (Z) represent the number of protons found in the nucleus of an atom.
- Proton number = the number of protons
- The proton number is also known as the atomic number.
- In an atom of neutral charge, the number of electrons also equals the atomic number.
- Hence, the proton number of an atom can also represent the number of electrons.
Nucleon Number
- The nucleon number (A), also called atomic mass number or mass number, is the number of protons plus the number of neutrons in an atomic nucleus. (Nucleon number = Number of protons + Number of neutrons)
- The nucleon number of an atom is about the same as the mass of the atom because the mass of an electron is very small and can be ignored.
Atom
|
Proton Number
|
Nucleon Number
|
Amount of Proton
|
Amount of electron
|
Amount of Neutron
|
| Helium |
2
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
| Oxygen |
8
|
16
|
8
|
8
|
8
|
| Sodium |
11
|
23
|
11
|
11
|
12
|
| Chlorine |
17
|
35
|
17
|
17
|
18
|
[Notes: In ion, the amount of protons IS NOT equal to the amount of electrons]
6) Isotopes
Isotopes are atoms of certain elements which have the same number of protons but different number of neutrons in the nucleus of the atoms.
It can also be defined as atoms of certain elements with the same proton numbers but with different nucleon numbers.
Properties of Isotope
| |
| Number of proton | equal |
| Number of neutron | difference |
| Chemical properties | same |
| Physical properties | difference |
Example:
| Element | Name | Symbol | Proton Number | Nucleon Number | Number of proton | Number of neutron |
| Hydrogen | Hydrogen |
11H
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
| Deuterium |
21H
|
1
|
12
|
1
|
1
| |
| Tritium |
31H
|
1
|
23
|
1
|
2
| |
| Oxygen | Oxygen-16 |
168O
|
8
|
16
|
8
|
8
|
| Oxygen-17 |
178O
|
8
|
17
|
8
|
9
| |
| Oxygen-18 |
188O
|
8
|
18
|
8
|
10
| |
| Carbon | Carbon-12 |
126C
|
6
|
12
|
6
|
6
|
| Carbon-13 |
136C
|
6
|
13
|
6
|
7
| |
| Carbon-14 |
146C
|
6
|
14
|
6
|
8
| |
| Chlorine | Chlorine-35 |
3517Cl
|
17
|
35
|
17
|
18
|
| Chlorine-37 |
3717Cl
|
17
|
37
|
17
|
20
| |
| Sodium | Sodium-23 |
2311Na
|
11
|
23
|
11
|
12
|
| Sodium-24 |
2411Na
|
11
|
24
|
11
|
13
|
7) Electron Arrangement In Atom
- We have learnt that electrons occupy orbits with definite energy level of an atom, as suggested by Neils Bohr.
- These orbits with definite energy level are known as the shell.
- Every single shell is capable of holding up to certain amount of electrons.
- The first shell can hold up to two electrons. This is called a duplet.
- The second shell can hold up to eight electrons. This is called an octet.
- The third shell can hold up to eighteen electrons.
- However, with the third shell, when eight electrons are present, extra stability is gained. The additional electrons go into the fourth shell before the third shell is completely filled.
- The way in which the electrons are distributed in the shells of an atom is called the electron arrangement of the atom
- The examples below show the electron arrangement of some elements:
Atom
|
Notes
|
Electrons Arrangement
|
![]() |
|
2.1
|
![]() |
|
2.8.7
|
![]() |
|
2.8.8.2
|
Table below shows the arrangement of electrons of the first 20 elements in the periodic table. We shall learn periodic table in chapter 4.
| Element | Proton Number | Number of Electron |
Number of electron in
| Electron Arrangement | |||
| 1st shell | 2nd shell | 3rd shell | 4th shell | ||||
| Hydrogen |
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
| 1 |
| Helium |
2
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
| 2 |
| Lithium |
3
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
0
| 2.1 |
| Beryllium |
4
|
4
|
2
|
2
|
0
|
0
| 2.2 |
| Boron |
5
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
0
|
0
| 2.3 |
| Carbon |
6
|
6
|
2
|
4
|
0
|
0
| 2.4 |
| Nitrogen |
7
|
7
|
2
|
5
|
0
|
0
| 2.5 |
| Oxygen |
8
|
8
|
2
|
6
|
0
|
0
| 2.6 |
| Fluorine |
9
|
9
|
2
|
7
|
0
|
0
| 2.7 |
| Neon |
10
|
10
|
2
|
8
|
0
|
0
| 2.8 |
| Sodium |
11
|
11
|
2
|
8
|
1
|
0
| 2.8.1 |
| Magnesium |
12
|
12
|
2
|
8
|
2
|
0
| 2.8.2 |
| Aluminium |
13
|
13
|
2
|
8
|
3
|
0
| 2.8.3 |
| Silicon |
14
|
14
|
2
|
8
|
4
|
0
| 2.8.4 |
| Phosphorus |
15
|
15
|
2
|
8
|
5
|
0
| 2.8.5 |
| Sulphur |
16
|
16
|
2
|
8
|
6
|
0
| 2.8.6 |
| Chlorine |
17
|
17
|
2
|
8
|
7
|
0
| 2.8.7 |
| Argon |
18
|
18
|
2
|
8
|
8
|
0
| 2.8.8 |
| Potassium |
19
|
19
|
2
|
8
|
8
|
1
| 2.8.8.1 |
| Calcium |
20
|
20
|
2
|
8
|
8
|
2
| 2.8.8.2 |
8) Valence Electrons
Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell.
- The electrons in the outermost shell of an atom are called valence electrons.
- The valence electrons have great significance in determining the chemical properties of an atom.
- Elements with the same number of valence electron have the same chemical properties.
Example:
Given that a sodium atom has 11 protons 12 neutrons. Find the number of valence electron in a sodium atom.
Answer:
Given that a sodium atom has 11 protons 12 neutrons. Find the number of valence electron in a sodium atom.
Answer:
For an atom,
Number of electrons = number of protons = 11
Electron arrangement of sodium = 2.8.1
Therefore, sodium has 1 valence electron.









