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Atoms

The document discusses the basic components and structure of atoms. It explains that atoms are made up of protons, neutrons and electrons. Protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus, while electrons orbit the nucleus. The number of protons determines the element, while neutrons do not affect charge. Atoms combine to form all matter and there are over 100 known elements.

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34 views

Atoms

The document discusses the basic components and structure of atoms. It explains that atoms are made up of protons, neutrons and electrons. Protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus, while electrons orbit the nucleus. The number of protons determines the element, while neutrons do not affect charge. Atoms combine to form all matter and there are over 100 known elements.

Uploaded by

shreya
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ATOMS

• The atom is the basic building block for all matter in the universe. Atoms are
extremely small and are made up of a few even smaller particles. The basic
particles that make up an atom are electrons, protons, and neutrons. Atoms fit
together with other atoms to make up matter. It takes a lot of atoms to make
up anything.

• There are so many atoms in a single human body we won't even try to write
the number here. Suffice it to say that the number is trillions and trillions (and
then some more). There are different kinds of atoms based on the number of
electrons, protons, and neutrons each atom contains. Each different kind of
atom makes up an element.

• There are 92 natural elements and up to 118 when you count in man-made
elements. Atoms last a long time, in most cases forever. They can change and
undergo chemical reactions, sharing electrons with other atoms. But the
nucleus is very hard to split, meaning most atoms are around for a long time.
• What is a proton?
• A proton is a positively charged particle found within the atom’s nucleus. Rutherford
discovered them in his experiments with cathode ray tubes.
• The number of protons in an atom define what the element is. This is what is referred to as
the atomic number of that element. The number of protons also determine the chemical
behaviour of that element.
• What is a neutron?
• A neutron is the neutral part of the atom’s nucleus, with no electric charge, and a mass
slightly larger than that of a proton. It was discovered by the English physicist, James
Chadwick.
Neutrons and protons combined make up the mass of the atom. We can find the number of
neutrons if we know the atomic mass and the atomic number of an element, using this simple
equation.
• Atomic Mass – Atomic Number = Number of Neutrons
• Atoms of the same element may have different number of neutrons. Adding neutrons changes
the radioactivity of the element, without changing the charge of the atom. This is important in
nuclear physics.
• What is an electron?
• An electron is a negatively charged part of the atom found outside the
nucleus in orbits and are attached to the protons in the atom with
electromagnetic force. Closer the electron to the nucleus, the stronger
the electromagnetic force between them.
• Electrons can escape from their orbit in response to an external energy
being applied. It can also change its state to a higher energy level by
absorbing a photon with sufficient energy to boost it to a new quantum
state. It can also drop down to lower energy state emitting the
excessive energy as a photon.
• Atoms are neutral if the number of protons and electrons are equal.
Atoms that have an excess or deficit of electrons are called
ions. Electrons have no internal structure, though protons and neutrons
on the other hand are made of quarks.

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