Overview:
The earliest models of atomic structure were concerned only with the way substances behaved in chemical reactions. Atoms were thought to be the smallest particles of elements, but they were self-contained. It was a mystery of how they differed from one another.
What Are the Main Particles Within an Atom?
The main subatomic particles within an atom are protons, which carry a positive electrical charge, neutrons, which carry a neutral charge, and electrons, which carry a negative charge. Protons and neutrons are contained within the nucleus of the atom, and electrons orbit the nucleus. There are many other subatomic particles that make up those basic particles, but those other subatomic particles do not affect the chemical makeup of atoms, or the behavior of substances is chemical reactions.
What Is the Atomic Number and Why Is It Important?
The atomic number is a unique number that represents the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. It is the whole number listed by the symbol for the element on the periodic table. For example, a carbon atom (C) has 6 protons in its nucleus, and the sodium atom (Na) has 11 protons in its nucleus. The atomic number is important because it tells how many protons there are in the atom.
What Are Ions?
When an atom is electrically neutral, it contains the same number of protons, that have a positive charge, and electrons, that have a negative charges, so that the charges balance. Many atoms can gain or lose electrons in a process called ionization. If the atom gains more electrons than it already has protons, it will be negatively charged, but if it loses more electrons than it already has protons, than it will be positively charged. The atomic number or the type of element does not change, just its charge.
What Are Isotopes?
The atomic number represents the number of protons in the nucleus , but the number of neutrons in the nucleus can differ. For example, most atoms of carbon have 6 protons and 6 neutrons, but some atoms of carbon have 6 protons and 8 neutrons. All chlorine atoms have 17 protons, but some have 18 neutrons and some have 20 neutrons. Isotopes are called by the name of the element and the number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus, such as Carbon-12 and Carbon-14.
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