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Atomic Structure

Mass number, atomic number and isotopes

  • 3 things to know
  • Physics Paper 1

Overview

Why an atom has equal numbers of electrons and protons and no overall charge, atomic number and mass number, working out the number of neutrons, reading the two numbers written before a chemical symbol, isotopes and how they differ, and how an atom becomes a positive ion by losing an outer electron.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

How does the number of electrons in an atom compare with the number of protons in its nucleus?

Key term

How is the number of neutrons in an atom worked out?

Key term

When a nucleus is written with two numbers before its chemical symbol, which one is written above the other?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    How does the number of electrons in an atom compare with the number of protons in its nucleus?

    Model answer

    The two numbers are equal.

  2. 2

    Explain why an atom has no overall electrical charge.

    Model answer

    It contains equal numbers of protons and electrons, so the positive and negative charges cancel out.

  3. 3

    What is meant by the atomic number of an element?

    Model answer

    It is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom of that element.

  4. 4

    What do all atoms of a particular element have in common?

    Model answer

    They all contain the same number of protons.

  5. 5

    What is meant by the mass number of an atom?

    Model answer

    It is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.

  6. 6

    How is the number of neutrons in an atom worked out?

    Model answer

    Subtract the atomic number from the mass number.

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