Atomic Structure Basics
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Questions and Answers

What is a chemical bond?

  • A force that pushes electrons out of an atom
  • A force that binds atoms together (correct)
  • A force that separates neutrons and protons
  • A force that repels atoms from each other
  • What is formed when one or more electrons are transferred from one atom to another?

  • Hydrogen bond
  • Covalent bond
  • Metallic bond
  • Ionic bond (correct)
  • Which of the following is NOT a main type of chemical bond?

  • Metallic bond (correct)
  • Ionic bond
  • Covalent bond
  • Hydrogen bond
  • What happens to atoms in ionic bonds?

    <p>They transfer electrons</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are atoms in compounds held together by?

    <p>Chemical bonds</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who first introduced the concept of the atom?

    <p>Democritus</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Approximately how many sulfur atoms lined up side by side would make a row about a centimeter long?

    <p>100 million</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What charge do protons carry?

    <p>Positive (+)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the relative mass of an electron compared to a proton?

    <p>1/1840</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the maximum number of electrons that the first shell can hold?

    <p>Two</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why are atoms electrically neutral?

    <p>They have equal numbers of electrons and protons</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a chemical element?

    <p>A pure substance that consists entirely of one type of atom</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which atomic particle defines the atomic number of an element?

    <p>Proton</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which elements make up about 99 percent of the mass of living things?

    <p>Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus, Calcium</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are isotopes?

    <p>Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the number of neutrons in isotopes affect their properties?

    <p>Neutrons affect atomic mass but not chemical properties</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the 'weighted average' of isotope masses refer to?

    <p>The abundance of each isotope in nature when calculating average mass</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What part of an atom is involved in chemical interactions?

    <p>Electron shells</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why are trace elements important, despite their small percentage in living organisms?

    <p>They are necessary for basic cellular functions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the chemical formula $H_2O$ represent?

    <p>Two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do scientists indicate the composition of compounds?

    <p>Using chemical formulas</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In what ratio do sodium and chlorine combine in table salt?

    <p>1:1</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which property is true about compounds compared to their constituent elements?

    <p>Compounds have different properties from their elements</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens when hydrogen and oxygen combine?

    <p>They form liquid water</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one use of radioactive isotopes in the field of medicine?

    <p>Detecting cancer</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where is the radioactive isotope $131I$ found after being injected into the body?

    <p>In the thyroid gland</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a common characteristic of radioactive isotopes?

    <p>They have unstable nuclei</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the strongest chemical bonds?

    <p>ionic and covalent</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary significance of weak interactions within a living cell?

    <p>They allow temporary molecular interactions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an example of weak interactions mentioned in the text?

    <p>van der Waals forces</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What describes van der Waals forces?

    <p>Slight attractions between molecules that are very close together.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Under what condition can van der Waals forces be strong enough to hold molecules together?

    <p>If the molecules fit against each other with very little space between them.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can the combined van der Waals forces on the feet of a gecko do?

    <p>Help the gecko adhere to surfaces like walls.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do hydrogen bonds typically form between?

    <p>A hydrogen atom of one molecule and an oxygen or nitrogen atom of a neighboring molecule</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why are hydrogen bonds important for understanding water?

    <p>They are crucial for the special properties of water.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Atoms

    • The concept of the atom was first introduced by Greek philosopher Democritus, who called the smallest fragment of any substance an atom, meaning "unable to be cut".
    • Atoms are incredibly small, with 100 million sulfur atoms placed side by side making a row only about a centimeter long.
    • Atoms contain subatomic particles, including protons, neutrons, and electrons.

    Protons and Neutrons

    • Protons and neutrons have similar masses, but protons are positively charged, while neutrons have no charge.
    • Protons and neutrons bind together to form the nucleus at the center of the atom.

    Electrons

    • Electrons are negatively charged particles with a mass of about 1/1840 that of a proton.
    • Electrons are in constant motion in the space surrounding the nucleus and are arranged in shells or orbitals.
    • The first shell can hold up to two electrons, and the second shell can hold up to eight electrons.

    Elements and Isotopes

    • A chemical element is a pure substance consisting of one type of atom.
    • Elements are represented by one or two-letter symbols, such as C for carbon and H for hydrogen.
    • The number of protons in the nucleus of an element is called its atomic number.
    • Isotopes are atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons, such as carbon-14 with 8 neutrons.

    Chemical Compounds

    • Chemical compounds are substances formed by the chemical combination of two or more elements in definite proportions.
    • Chemical formulas, such as H_2O for water and NaCl for table salt, show the composition of compounds.
    • The physical and chemical properties of a compound are usually different from those of the elements from which it is formed.

    Radioactive Isotopes

    • Some isotopes are radioactive, meaning their nuclei are unstable and break down at a constant rate over time.
    • Radioactive isotopes have important scientific and practical uses, such as determining the ages of rocks and fossils.

    Chemical Bonds

    • Chemical bonds are the attractive forces that bind atoms together.
    • The main types of chemical bonds are ionic bonds and covalent bonds.

    Weak Interactions

    • Weak interactions, such as van der Waals forces, are important in the chemistry of living things.
    • Van der Waals forces produce a slight attraction between molecules when they are very close together.

    Hydrogen Bonds

    • Hydrogen bonds are a form of weak interaction between a hydrogen atom of one molecule and an oxygen or nitrogen atom of a neighboring molecule.
    • Hydrogen bonds are essential to understanding the special properties of water.

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