Atomic Structure and Measurement Units Guide

Overall Tips

• Review video assignments and notes, focusing on questions included in weekly assignments (some will be on the exam).
• Create a study sheet with important terms and concepts.
• Review in-class activities (these provide additional practice from video assignments).
• Complete extra practice problems (optional but good practice); these are found in weekly modules (e.g., a worksheet for week 1).
• Completing all these steps will prepare you well for the exam.

Learning Objectives Guide for Atomic Structure, Matter, and Units

• This guide outlines key concepts for atomic structure, matter, and measurement units.

Units and Their Importance

• Units are crucial for scientific measurement and communication; they ensure consistency and allow comparison of results.
• Scientists use various unit systems, including metric (meter, gram, liter) and English (inches, pounds, gallon).
• Students need to convert between metric units of length, volume, and mass (e.g., grams to kilograms, liters to milliliters).
• Memorize prefixes kilo, centi, and milli.

Matter and States of Matter

• Matter is anything that occupies space and has mass.
• Matter exists in three states: solid (fixed shape and volume), liquid (fixed volume, takes container shape), and gas (no fixed shape or volume, fills container).

Atomic Structure and Elements

• Atoms contain subatomic particles: protons (positive charge, 1 amu), electrons (negative charge, negligible mass), and neutrons (no charge, 1 amu).
• Atomic mass is the sum of protons and neutrons within the atom.
• Atomic mass: sum of the protons and neutrons.
• Understand isotopes (same element, different number of neutrons, and masses)
• Know the properties of an element – defined by the number of protons and their mass differences.
• Learn the formulas and how to calculate charge and mass of an atom
• Understand definitions of ions (atoms that have gained or lost electrons): Anions (negatively charged ion), Cations (positively charged ion)
• Know the names and symbols of the first 18 elements.

Atomic 3-D Structure and Electrostatics

• Opposite charges attract, and similar charges repel.
• The nucleus contains protons and neutrons, holding most of the atom's mass
• Electrons occupy orbitals around the nucleus (Regions in space around the nucleus where electrons are likely to be).
• Orbitals have specific shapes: s (spherical), p (dumbbell), d, and f (more complex).

Electron Configuration and Energy

• Electrons fill orbitals in order of increasing energy level, starting with the lowest energy orbitals first.
• Each orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons with opposite spins. Electrons will fill singly before pairing up in the same orbital.
• Know how to write electron configurations for elements 1-20.

Practice Problems and Activities

• Practice writing electron configurations for elements.
• Practice drawing orbital energy diagrams.
• Use energy level diagrams to illustrate electron filling.

Key Concepts to Review

• Convert metric and English units for length, mass, volume, and density.
• Understand atomic structure and components related to an element's properties.
• Know how to apply electron configurations and how energy levels affect stability, electron behavior, and orbital filling.

Key Concepts: Forces and Energy

• Force: the interaction between objects that cause attraction (pull) or repulsion (push).
• Energy: The ability to do work or cause change.
• Opposite charges attract: lowering energy.
• Like charges repel and increase energy.
• Energy states and stability- Systems tend toward lower energy states for greater stability.

Charge Interactions and Energy

• Opposite charges attract, decreasing energy.
• Like charges repel, increasing energy.
• Distance between charges affects strength of interactions.

Periodic Table and its Organization

• Use the periodic table to identify metals, metalloids, and nonmetals; classify alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, transition metals, halogens, and the noble gases.
• Understand groups and periods within the periodic table and their connection to elements' properties.
• Know elements 18-36 names, their corresponding symbols, and recognize diatomic molecules, which are seven elements found in nature as diatomic molecules.