Name_____________________________

Due Date ___________________ Pd _____

BASIC ATOM STRUCTURE

Atoms are the smallest complete particle of matter because, although
they are made of smaller sub-atomic particles (protons, neutrons and
electrons), they act as one unit of matter with specific properties.
There are about 117 identified elements, 92 of them occurring naturally.
The drawing below illustrates an atoms parts and how it can be drawn
from information in the Periodic Table of the Elements.
2
He
helium
4.01
e-

e-

atomic number (= number of protons)

st

nd

element symbol (1 letter capital if a 2 , lower case

element name
Mass Number
(= # protons + # neutrons)
-

electron: (e ) have no mass and

a negative charge there are the
same # of electrons as protons to
cancel out the charges
electron cloud (inside are separate orbits youll
learn about later)
proton: a positive charge
An elements identity is determined by proton number.

nucleus: center of atom where all

mass is found (protons and neutrons)
neutron: a neutral charge

* for atoms, you

can draw the
nucleus like this:
12P
13N

RADIOACTIVITY
When the # of protons and neutrons are out of balance (usually too
many neutrons), the nucleus is unstable and may become
radioactive.
Elements 93 and up are man-made and are usually very unstable or
radioactive, decaying into other more stable elements. Uranium
(which is natural and unstable) turns into lead (very stable).

ATOM

PARTS

Due Date__________________
D
u
Using the first page information and any Periodic
Table, complete the following list using
e one to closest whole number).
the information given (round Mass Numbers to
NAME

SYMBOL

ATOMIC #

D
a
t
e
_______ _______
_
_
_
_______ _______
_
_
_
_______ _______
_
_
_
_______ __14___
_
_
_
_______ _______
_
P
d
_______ _______
_
_
_
_______ _______
_
_
Mass #

PROTONS

NEUTRONS

ELECTRONS

Nitrogen_

______

_______

________

__P___

_______

________

______

__16___

________

______

_______

Zinc____

______

_______

________

______

_______

________

__Cu__

_______

Calcium_

_______

______

_______

________

______

Fill
in the blanks below
________
_______
using your______
abbreviated Periodic
________
Table. ______
__79___

_______

_______

_______

_______

________

________

________
NAME

_______

_______

________

___13___

______
SYMBOL _______

ATOMIC #
AMU
PROTONS
ELECTRONS
________
___Na__
NEUTRONS

__56_

________

________

________

________

________

________

________

________

________

________

___0____

________

________

________

_______

________

________

_______

________

___80___

_______

________

________

_______

_______

_______

________

________

________
_______
_______
Nitrogen_
______
_______
_______
_______
________
________

_______

_______

___146__

________

________
_______
_______
________

__P___
_______
________