Atomic structure
Topic 1
Atomic theory
Objective
1- Students will identify and describe the properties of: Electrons, Protons and Neutrons
2- Students will describe the development of atomic theory, including:
➢The historical atomic model of Dalton, Thomson to change
➢How data from experiments caused the theory to change.
➢The basics of modern atomic theory.
3- Students will cite evidence that supports the modern model of the atom, including:
➢Rutherford’s gold-foil experiment.
➢Chadwick’s theory of the neutron.
Development of Atomic Theory
Atomic theory grew as a series of models that developed from experimental evidence.
As more evidence was collected the theory and models were revised
• A Greek philosopher.
• Around 430 BCE.
• Proposed that matter was formed of small
pieces that could not be cut into smaller parts.
• He used word atomos means uncuttable.(In
modern terms atom is the smallest particle
that still can be considered an element)
John Dalton
• Is English chemist.
• Dalton performed a number of experiments that
eventually led to the acceptance of the idea of atoms.
1. All elements consist of atoms that cannot be
divided.
2. All atoms of the same element are exactly alike and have the
same mass. Atoms of different elements are different and have
different masses.
3. Compounds are formed when atoms of more than one element
combine in a specific ratio.
4. An atom of one element cannot be changed into an atom of a
different element by a chemical reaction.
Dalton’s
Atomic
Theory
Guess the scientist ???
An atom of one A Greek philosopher.
element cannot be Around 430 BCE.
changed into an atom
of a different element Democritus
by a chemical reaction.
John Dalton
Proposed that matter
was formed of small All elements consist of
pieces that could not be atoms that cannot be
cut into smaller parts. divided.
• English scientist
• Discovered that atoms contain negatively charged
particles called electrons.
• Thomson knew that atoms had an overall neutral
charge (no electrical charge).
• Thomson reasoned that atoms must also contain a
source of positive charge.
• He described an atom that had electrons scattered
throughout a ball of positive charge
His model looked similar to a scoop of
chocolate chip ice cream.
• Rutherford found evidence that challenged
Thomson's model
• Gold Foil Experiment: positively charged particles
were shot at a thin sheet of gold foil.
• He thought particles would pass through and most
particles did. So, atoms are mostly empty.
• Rutherford observed that most of the particles
passed straight through the foil with little
deflection.
• Rutherford concluded that
the atom is mostly empty
space but has a dense
1- positive charge at its center called
proton.
Like charged repel each other .any
positive particle that passes near the
nucleus of an atom is deflected from
its path
2- This dense center is called the
nucleus. (The plural of nucleus is
nuclei.)
Quick recap
• Danish scientist.
• was one of Rutherford's
students.
• In 1913, Bohr revised the
atomic model again.
➢ He suggested that electrons
move only in specific orbits
around an atom's nucleus.
➢The orbits in Bohr's model look
like moons orbiting a planet.
➢Each possible electron orbit in
Bohr's model has a fixed
energy.
• in 1920s The atomic model
changed. Cloud model
• scientists determined that
electrons do not move in
specific orbits like planets do, as
Bohr suggested.
• Electrons move rapidly within a
cloudlike region around the
nucleus.
• It represents where electrons
are likely to be found.
• In 1932, English scientist James Chadwick
Modern model of the
showed that another particle exists in the
nucleus of atoms. atom
➢This particle is called a neutron. At the
center of atom containing protons and
neutrons.
➢It took scientists a long time to find this
particle because it has no electric charge.
➢All around the nucleus is a cloudlike region
of moving electrons.
➢ Neutrons, protons, and electrons are known
as subatomic particles.
➢ A subatomic particle is any particle smaller
than an atom.
Properties of Subatomic Particles
Particles Symbol Particle Particles Location
Charge masses (amu)
Proton P+ +1 1 In the nucleus
Neutron n 0 1 In the nucleus
Electron e- -1 1/1840 Orbit the
nucleus
An atom is considered neutral as the number of electrons equal number of protons.
( p+ = e- the charges are balance )
Atomic number= number of protons = number of protons
E.g. oxygen has 8 protons and 8 electrons so atomic number is 8
Mass number = number of protons and neutrons
Isotopes
• Atoms with the same number of protons (mass number) but different
numbers of neutrons (atomic number)
• They share almost the same chemical properties, but differ in physical
properties
"Quick check!"
Let's wrap it up!
