Elements, Atoms, and Atomic Structure

By McKenzie Lunsford, Samantha Craig, and Haven Fitzgerald

MatterMatter is the “stuff” of the universe.With some exceptions, it can be seen, smelled, and felt.

Matter includes anything that occupies space and has mass. It exists in solid, liquid, and gaseous states. Examples of each state are found in the human body, such as bones and teeth, blood plasma, and the air we breathe.

MatterMatter may be changed both physically and chemically.

Physical changes do not alter the basic nature of a substance (ice melting).

Chemical changes do alter the composition of a substance-often substantially (digestion of food).

ElementsAll matter is composed of a limited number of substances called Elements, unique substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by ordinary chemical methods (oxygen, carbon, gold, copper, and iron).

The unique properties of each element are determined by the different numbers of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Four elements-carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen-make up about 96 percent of body weight, but several others are present in small or trace amounts.

A complete listing of the elements appears in the periodic table.

Major ElementsOxygen (O) (65.0%): A major component of both organic and inorganic molecules; as a gas, essential to the oxidation of glucose and other food fuels, during which cellular energy (ATP) is produced.

Carbon (C) (18.5%): The primary elemental components of all organic molecules, including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Major ElementsHydrogen (H) (9.5%): A component of most organic molecules, in ionic form, influences the pH of body fluids.

Nitrogen (N) (3.2%): A component of proteins and nucleic acids (genetic material).

Lesser and Trace ElementsLesser elements (3.9%) include Calcium (CA), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Sulfur (S), Sodium (Na), Chlorine (Cl), Magnesium (Mg), Iodine (I), and Iron (Fe).

Trace elements (less than 0.01%) include Chromium (Cr), Cobalt (Co), Copper (Cu), Fluorine (F), Manganese (Mn), Molybdenum (Mo), Selenium (Se), Silicon (Si), Tin (Sn), and Zinc (Zn).

AtomsThe building blocks of an element, or the smallest particle that still retains its special properties, is called an atom.

Because all elements are unique, the atoms of each element differ from those of all other elements. Each element is designated by a one- or two-letter chemical shorthand called an atomic symbol. In most cases, the atomic symbol is simply the first (or first two) letter(s) of the element’s name. For example, C stands for Carbon.

Historical Atomic KnowledgeThe word atom comes from the Greek word meaning “incapable of being divided,” and historically this idea of an atom was accepted as a scientific truth.

According to this notion, you could theoretically divide a pure element, such as a block of gold, into smaller and smaller particles until you got down to the individual atoms, and then could subdivide no further.

Modern Atomic KnowledgeWe now know that atoms, although incredibly small, are clusters of even smaller (subatomic) particles and that, under very special circumstances, atoms can be split into these smaller particles.

An atom loses the unique properties of its element when it is split into its sub particles.

Atomic StructureThe atoms representing the 112-plus elements are composed of different numbers and proportions of three basic subatomic particles, which differ in their mass, electrical charge, and location within the atom.

Protons have a positive charge, whereas neutrons are uncharged, or neutral.

Protons and neutrons are heavy particles and have approximately the same mass (1 atomic mass unit, or 1 amu).

Atomic StructureThe tiny electrons bear a negative charge equal in strength to the positive charge of the protons, but their mass is so small that it is usually designated as 0 amu.

The electrical charge of a particle is its ability to attract or repel other charged particles.

Particles with the same type of charge (+ to + or - to -) repel each other, but particles with unlike charges (+ to -) attract each other. Neutral particles are neither attracted nor repelled by charged particles.

Atomic StructureBecause all atoms are electrically neutral, the number of protons an atom has must be precisely balanced by its number of electrons (the + and - charges will then cancel the effect of each other).

For any atom, the number of protons and electrons is always equal, thus, hydrogen has one proton and one electron. Atoms that have gained or lost electrons are called ions.

Planetary ModelThe planetary model of an atom portrays the atom as a miniature solar system in which the protons and neutrons are clustered at the center of the atom in the atomic nucleus. The nucleus contains all heavy parts while the tiny electrons orbit around the nucleus in fixed, generally circular orbits, like planets around the sun.

We can never determine the exact location of electrons at a particular time because they jump around following unknown paths called orbitals. Orbitals are regions around the nucleus in which a given electron or electron pair is likely to be found most of the time.

Orbital ModelThe more modern model of atomic structure, called the orbital model, has proved to be more useful in predicting the chemical behavior of atoms. It depicts the general location of electrons outside the nucleus as a haze of negative charge referred to as the electron cloud.

Regardless of which model is used, notice that the electrons have the run of nearly the entire volume of the atom and determine its chemical behavior (That is, its ability to bond with other atoms)

CitationsMarieb, Elaine Nicpon. Essentials of human anatomy & physiology. Ed. Alex Streczyn. 8th ed. NY, NY: Pearson, n.d. Print. Page 26-30

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Fleming, Sarah. "Cookie Sheet with Balls of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ready for Baking, March 2008.jpg." Wikimedia.org. N.p., 5 Dec. 2012. Web. 15 Aug. 2017. <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cookie_sheet_with_balls_of_chocolate_chip_cookie_dough_ready_for_baking,_March_2008.jpg>.

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Shaik, Asif. " Atom." What Is Meant by Atom? N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Aug. 2017. <http://www.physics-and-radio-electronics.com/electronic-devices-and-circuits/introduction/atom.html>.

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Matter Elements Atoms Atomic Structure

Periodic Table

200 200 200 200 200

400 400 400 400 400

600 600 600 600 600

800 800 800 800 800

1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000

Matter: 200What is matter?

A: anything that has space and occupies mass

B: a solid, liquid, or gas

C: something that can change both physically and chemically

D: all of the above

Matter: 400True or False: Matter can always be seen, smelled, and touched.

A: True

B: False

Matter: 600Energy is-

A: able to change between states (solid, liquid, gas)

B: massless

C: able to be measured by its mass

D: not able to affect matter

Matter: 800Chemistry studies specifically-

A: energy of all things

B: anatomy and how the body functions

C: the nature of matter

D: physical and chemical bonds

Matter: 1,000True or false: Gas has a definite volume but not a definite shape.

A: True

B: False

Elements: 200Elements-

A: What all matter is made up of

B: Can be broken down by ordinary chemical methods

C: Cannot be broken down by ordinary chemical methods

D: A&B

Elements: 400Examples of major Elements are:

A: Oxygen, Carbon, Calcium, and Nitrogen

B: Oxygen, Carbon, Hydrogen. and Nitrogen

C: Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Carbon

D: Potassium, Hydrogen, Oxygen, and Iron

Elements: 800How many Elements occur naturally?

A: 63

B: 92

C: 112

D: 103

Elements: 1,000How much body weight does the four major elements make up?

A: 57%

B: 95%

C: 76%

D: 96%

Atoms: 200What are the parts and charges of an atom?

A: Proton (-), Neutron (+), and Electron(+)

B: Proton (+), Neutron (n), and Electron (-)

C: Proton, Nucleus, and Electron

D: Proton (+), Neutron (-), and Electron (-)

Atoms: 400Which partials have the same mass?

A Protons and Electrons

B: Electrons and Neutrons

C: Protons and Nucleus

D: Protons and Neutrons

Atoms: 600If sodium has 12 protons, how many electrons does it have?

A: 12 electrons

B: 11 electrons

C: 35 electrons

D: 8 electrons

Atoms: 800You calculate the atomic mass by the mass by subtracting the protons and neutrons in the nucleus.

A: True

B: False

Atoms: 1,000Atom comes from the greek word meaning capable of being divideal.

A: True

B: False

Atomic Structure: 200The electrical charge of a particle is measured of its ability to just repel other particles.

A: True

B: False

Atomic Structure: 400What are the two letter chemical shorthand called?

A: atomic symbols

B: nothing

C: atom

Atomic Structure: 600What is the dense center of an atom called?

A: proton

B: neutron

C: electron

D: nucleus

Atomic Structure: 800What is the building blase for an element called?

A: atom

B: nucleus

C: proton

D: electron

Atomic Structure: 1,000How many neutrons does Helium (He) have?

A: 1

B: 2

C: 3

D: 0

Periodic Table: 200What does the symbol Fe stand for?

A: iron

B: argon

C: cobalt

D: mercury

Periodic Table: 400What does the symbol Ag stand for?

A: bronze

B: silver

C: gold

D: mercury

Periodic Table: 600What is the symbol for mercury?

A: Ag

B: Au

C: Hg

D: Hu

Periodic Table: 800How is the periodic table arranged?

A: by the mass

B: by the number of neutrons

C: by the number of protons

D: by isotopes

Periodic Table: 1,000How many protons does the element U have?

A: 94

B: 90

C: 93

D: 92

Correct!

Go back

Incorrect!Matter: 200 Elements: 200 Atoms: 200 Atomic Structure: 200 Periodic T: 200

Matter: 400 Elements: 400 Atoms: 400 Atomic Structure: 400 Periodic T: 400

Matter: 600 Elements: 600 Atoms: 600 Atomic Structure: 600 Periodic T: 600

Matter: 800 Elements: 800 Atoms: 800 Atomic Structure: 800 Periodic T: 800

Matter: 1,000 Elements: 1,000 Atoms: 1,000 Atomic Structure: 1,000

Periodic T: 1,000

Samantha

Questions: 18, 20, 21, 23, 24, 38

Questions: 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 39, 42

Questions: 30, 34, 35, 36, 37, 40, 42

McKenzie Haven