Structure of Atoms

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What is an atom?

An atom is the smallest unit of matter that retains the identity of a chemical element.

What are the three main subatomic particles?

The three main subatomic particles are protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Where are protons located in an atom?

Protons are located in the nucleus of an atom.

What is the charge of an electron?

An electron has a negative charge.

How does the number of protons in an atom's nucleus relate to its identity?

The number of protons determines the atomic number and identity of the element.

Where are electrons found in an atom?

Electrons are found in electron clouds or shells surrounding the nucleus.

What is the charge of a neutron?

A neutron has no charge; it is neutral.

What is the significance of the atomic number?

The atomic number identifies the element and determines its position on the periodic table.

What particle is responsible for the majority of an atom’s mass?

The majority of an atom’s mass is due to protons and neutrons, which are located in the nucleus.

What is the atomic mass of an atom?

Atomic mass is the weighted average mass of an atom’s isotopes, measured in atomic mass units (amu).

Can the number of neutrons in an atom vary?

Yes, variation in the number of neutrons forms different isotopes of the same element.

What is a model often used to describe the electron arrangement in an atom?

The Bohr model is commonly used for representing the electron arrangement with energy levels.

What is a valence electron?

A valence electron is an outer shell electron that is involved in chemical bonding.

Why are noble gases stable?

Noble gases are stable because they have a full valence shell of electrons.

What determines the chemical properties of an atom?

An atom’s chemical properties are primarily determined by its electron configuration, especially the valence electrons.





Test Your Knowledge

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1. What is an atom?

An atom is the smallest unit of matter that retains the identity of a chemical element.

An atom is a large structure composed of multiple elements.

An atom is the largest unit of a chemical element.

An atom is the smallest unit of energy available to chemical elements.

2. What are the three main subatomic particles?

The three main subatomic particles are protons, neutrons, and electrons.

The three main subatomic particles are protons, neutrons, and photons.

The three main subatomic particles are electrons, photons, and positrons.

The three main subatomic particles are ions, isotopes, and molecules.

3. Where are protons located in an atom?

Protons are located in the nucleus of an atom.

Protons are located in the electron cloud of an atom.

Protons are located in the valence shell of an atom.

Protons are located outside the atomic shell.

4. What is the charge of an electron?

An electron has a negative charge.

An electron has a positive charge.

An electron has a neutral charge.

An electron has a dual charge.

5. How does the number of protons in an atom's nucleus relate to its identity?

The number of protons determines the atomic number and identity of the element.

The number of protons determines the isotope of the element.

The number of protons determines the charge of the element.

The number of protons determines the weight of the element.

6. Where are electrons found in an atom?

Electrons are found in electron clouds or shells surrounding the nucleus.

Electrons are located inside the nucleus.

Electrons are found only in the valence shell.

Electrons are located in the core of the atom.

7. What is the charge of a neutron?

A neutron has no charge; it is neutral.

A neutron has a positive charge.

A neutron has a negative charge.

A neutron has an electromagnetic charge.

8. What is the significance of the atomic number?

The atomic number identifies the element and determines its position on the periodic table.

The atomic number determines the weight of an element.

The atomic number determines the temperature properties of an element.

The atomic number identifies the electron cloud arrangement.

9. What particle is responsible for the majority of an atom’s mass?

The majority of an atom’s mass is due to protons and neutrons, which are located in the nucleus.

The majority of an atom’s mass is due to electrons.

The majority of an atom’s mass is due to photons.

The majority of an atom’s mass is due to nuclei clouds.

10. What is the atomic mass of an atom?

Atomic mass is the weighted average mass of an atom’s isotopes, measured in atomic mass units (amu).

Atomic mass is the number of protons in an atom.

Atomic mass is the size of an atom’s electron cloud.

Atomic mass is the weight of the atom's valence electrons.

11. Can the number of neutrons in an atom vary?

Yes, variation in the number of neutrons forms different isotopes of the same element.

No, the number of neutrons is fixed for each element.

Neutrons can vary, which changes the atomic number of an element.

Neutrons can vary, but this does not affect the isotope form.

12. What is a model often used to describe the electron arrangement in an atom?

The Bohr model is commonly used for representing the electron arrangement with energy levels.

The Dalton model is commonly used for representing the atomic structure.

The Rutherford model is used to describe chemical bonds.

The Newton model describes electron clouds.

13. What is a valence electron?

A valence electron is an outer shell electron that is involved in chemical bonding.

A valence electron is an inner shell electron that remains inactive.

A valence electron is the electron responsible for holding protons together.

A valence electron is any electron found in the first shell of an atom.

14. Why are noble gases stable?

Noble gases are stable because they have a full valence shell of electrons.

Noble gases are stable due to their lone protons.

Noble gases are stable because of their heavy atomic mass.

Noble gases are stable due to their zero neutron content.

15. What determines the chemical properties of an atom?

An atom’s chemical properties are primarily determined by its electron configuration, especially the valence electrons.

An atom’s chemical properties are determined by its neutron number.

An atom’s chemical properties are determined only by its size.

An atom’s chemical properties are determined only by its mass.