Nature and Characteristics of Matter

What is Nature and Characteristics of Matter?

Matter is made up of particles. Matter is not continuous and is particulate in nature. The particles
of matter are very small.

Table of Contents
 Nature of Matter
 Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
The particle nature of matter has the following characteristics:

 Matter is made up of particles

 Matter has inter particle space
 The particles constituting a matter are very small.
 Particles in matter are always in a state of motion.
 The motion of the particles increases with an increase in temperature.

Nature of Matter
Anything that occupies space and has mass is known as matter. Everything around us is a form
of matter. The huge buildings, bridges, electrons revolving around a nucleus, the DNA in our
cells, the surrounding air, the land beneath our feet, etc. all matter. A matter is said to be
composed of particles which are basically atoms and molecules. Depending upon its physical
state, the nature of matter falls into three categories:
 1. Solids:
The substances in which the particles are held close to each other with strong
intermolecular forces are known as solids. The particles are strongly held at their
positions and have only vibratory motion. Solids have a definite shape and definite
volume. E.g.: Wood, iron, etc.
2. Liquids:
Those substances in which the intermolecular forces are weak enough to allow the
movement of particles are known as liquids. The particles are held closely and have a
higher degree of freedom than solids. Liquids have a definite volume but no definite
shape; they generally take the shape of the container in which they are placed. E.g.:
water, milk, etc.
3. Gases:
These types of matter have very weak forces between their molecules and hence the
molecules are free to move. The distance between molecules is large as compared to
solids and liquids. Gases have neither a fixed shape nor a definite volume. They tend to
completely occupy the container in which they are placed. E.g. air, oxygen, hydrogen,
methane, etc.
The above three states of matter can be transformed from one form to the other by changing the
conditions of temperature and pressure. The nature of matter is also determined by its
composition. If the matter is composed of more than one type of particle then it is called a
mixture while if it consists of a single type of particles then it is known as a pure substance.
Mixtures are further classified as homogeneous and heterogeneous mixtures. Pure substances are
also sub-divided as elements and compounds.
The nature of matter continues to be a vast subject of research and recent advancements have
revealed other states of matter. Boson-Einstein condensate and plasma are the two other states of
matter that have been found recently. To learn more about the three states of matter, register with
BYJU’S and download our app.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

What are matter particles?

Matter is composed of elementary particles at the most fundamental level, such as quarks and
leptons (the class of elementary particles which includes electrons). Quarks fuse into protons and
neutrons and form atoms of the elements of the periodic table, such as hydrogen, oxygen, and
iron, along with electrons.

How do particles of matter have spaces?

It is correct to suggest that matter particles have space between them. The physical features of
matter suggest that matter has space between its constituent particles. So, it goes into the tiny
spaces between water molecules that are present.

How many properties of matter are there?

Four normal forms of matter are present: solids, liquids, gases and plasma. The fifth condition is
the Bose-Einstein condensates that are man-made. In a solid, ions are closely bundled together so
that they don’t move much.

What are the classification of matter?

It is important to classify matter into two categories: pure substances and mixtures. Elements and
molecules are further broken down into basic substances. Mixtures are entities that are
mechanically mixed and which can be divided into their original components. One form of atom
or molecule is made of a chemical substance.

What is the definition of mixtures?

In chemistry, a combination is a medium made up of physically mixed two or more distinct
compounds. In the type of liquids, suspensions and colloids, a mixture is the physical synthesis
of two or more substances in which the names are preserved and combined.

Characteristics Of Particles Of Matter

A matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. Pen, paper, clips, sand, air, ice, etc. are
different forms of matter. Every matter is made up of tiny particles. These particles are so tiny
that they can’t be seen with naked eyes. Let’s learn about the different characteristics of particles
of matter.

Characteristics of Particles of Matter

As mentioned earlier, every substance is made up of particles. These particles exhibit some
characteristics. They can influence the state and properties (physical and chemical) of a
substance. The three characteristics shown by particles of matter are as follows.
1,36,093

Particles Have Space Between Them

There are small voids between every particle in a matter. This characteristic is the concept
behind the solubility of a substance in other substances. Let’s try to understand this with an
illustration.
Take a glass of water. Put a teaspoon of salt/sugar and mix them properly. You will observe that
the water is still clear. This is because the particles of salt/sugar get into the interparticle spaces
between the water particles. This proves that there are voids between particles of a substance.  If
you add more salt/sugar, it will dissolve until all the space between water particles get filled.

Particles Are Constantly in Motion (or) Particles are Continuously Moving

Particles of the matter show continuous random movements. The kinetic energy they possess
helps them in this movement.  The spreading of ink in a beaker of glass, the smell that comes
from agarbattis, etc. are few illustrations that show the movement of particles of a substance.
When the particles of two different types of matters intermix on their own, the phenomenon is
called diffusion.
Diffusion of particles becomes fast when the temperature is increased. A rise in temperature
increases the kinetic energy of the particles, making them move more vigorously.

Particles Attract Each Other

Take an iron rod, a stick of chalk, and a pen. Try to break each one of these. Which one of these
is easy to break? The iron rod is stronger than the other two items. What makes an item stronger?
Yes, it’s the particles in them which are held by the inter-particle force of attraction.
In every substance, there is an inter-particle force of attraction acting between its particles. To
break something we need to overcome this force.  The strength of the force differs from one
substance to another.
The inter-particle force of attraction and the kinetic energy of the particles primarily determine
the physical state of any matter.

Physical Properties Of Matter

Since a long time, scientists have been researching about chemical and physical properties of
matter. In simple terms, they define matter as something which has mass and occupies space
(that is volume). Hence, everything we see around us is matter. For example, stars that twinkle,
the sun that shines, the food we eat, bricks we used to make buildings, water in oceans and
rivers, rocks that form mountains, etc. All of these can be brought under a single umbrella called
matter. But does all the matter that we see exhibit the same physical properties? Obviously not, a
block of wood is continuous while sand particles are coarse. Similarly, salt particles are soluble
in water while sand particles are not. All these properties are known as physical properties.  Let
us learn some physical properties through an activity.

1. Let us take 5-6 crystals of potassium permanganate and dissolve them in 300 ml of water.
2. Pour out 20 ml of this solution into a 100 ml of pure water present in another beaker.
 3. Repeat the above procedure by again taking out 20 ml of the above solution and pouring
it into 100 ml of pure water present in another beaker.
4. Keep on repeating this procedure by diluting the solution like this 8 to 10 times.
5. Observe the colour of the last solution.

We observe that the solution in the last beaker is light pink. Thus, we can conclude that even a
very small amount of potassium permanganate is able to change the colour of the solution. Thus,
we can say that matter can be broken into millions of tiny pieces further. This piece is
indestructible in nature.
Some physical properties of matter are

1. All matter has mass and occupies some space.

2. They can be broken into millions of tiny pieces further.

Changing States Of Matter

You would have observed changing states of matter when ice cubes melt from solid into liquid
water or when water boils into vapor, but have you wondered why substances change form?
Changing states of matter occur when matter loses or absorbs energy. When a substance absorbs
energy; the atoms and molecules move more rapidly and this increased kinetic energy pushes
particles far enough that they change form. This energy is usually heat or thermal energy.  In this
article, let us understand the science behind the changing states of matter.

Table of Contents:

 What are Changes of State?

 Why do Phase Changes Occur?
 Changes Between Liquids and Solids
  Freezing
 Melting
 Changes Between Liquids and Gases
 Vaporization
 Condensation
 Changes Between Solids and Gases
 Sublimation
 Conclusion
 Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

What are Changes of State?

A change of state is a physical change in a matter. They are reversible changes and do not
involve any changes in the chemical makeup of the matter. Common changes of the state include
melting, freezing, sublimation, deposition, condensation, and vaporization. These changes are
shown in the figure given below.

Why do Phase Changes Occur?

When temperature or pressure change of a system occurs, phase changes occur. When the
temperature or pressure increases, the interaction between the molecules increases. Similarly,
when the temperature decreases, it is easier for molecules and atoms to settle into a more rigid
structure.
Changes Between Liquids and Solids
How would you make ice cubes in a tray? First, you would fill the tray with water from a tap.
Then you would place the tray in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator. The freezer is very
cold. What happens next?

Freezing
Heat transfer occurs between the warmer tray and the colder air in the freezer. The warm water
loses heat to the cold air in the freezer. This heat transfer occurs until no energy is available for
the particles to slide past each other. This forces them to remain in fixed positions, locked in
place by the force of attraction between them. This way liquid water is changed into solid ice.
The process of liquid water changing to solid ice is termed as freezing. The temperature at which
it occurs is known as the freezing point.

Melting
If you took out the ice cubes from the freezer and placed them in a warm room, the ice would
absorb energy from the warmer air around them. This absorbed energy would facilitate them to
overcome the force of attraction holding them together, enabling them to slip out of the fixed
position that they held as ice. The process in which a solids change to a liquid is called melting.
The melting point is the temperature at which a solids change to a liquid.
 
You might want to read the following articles for a deeper understanding of the topic.

 Three States of Matter

 Physical and Chemical Changes
Watch the video below to clearly understand why water changes to solid when the temperature
is reduced and to a gas when the temperature is increased?
76,725

Changes Between Liquids and Gases

If you fill a pot with cold tap water and heat it on a hot stovetop, the water heats up. Heat energy
travels from the stovetop to the pot, and the water absorbs the energy from the pot. What
happens to the water next?

Vaporization
If the water is hot enough, it starts to boil. Bubbles of water vapor are formed in the boiling
water. This happens as particles of liquid water gain enough energy to completely overcome the
force of attraction between them and change to the gaseous state. The bubbles rise through the
water and escape from the pot as steam. The process in which a liquid boils and changes to a gas
is called vaporization. The temperature at which a liquid boils is its boiling point.

Condensation
When you take a hot shower in a closed bathroom, the mirror is likely to fog up. You may
wonder why does this happen? Some hot water from the shower evaporates and when it comes in
contact with cooler surfaces such as the mirror, it cools and loses energy. The cooler water
particles no longer have the energy to overcome the forces of attraction between them. They
come together and form droplets of liquid water. This process in which a gas changes to liquid is
known as condensation.

Changes Between Solids and Gases

Solids that change to gas pass through the liquid state first. However, sometimes solids change
directly to gases and skip the liquid state. The reverse can also occur. Sometimes gases change
directly to solids.

Sublimation
The process in which solids directly change to gases is known as sublimation. This occurs when
solids absorb enough energy to completely overcome the forces of attraction between them. Dry
ice is an example of solids that undergo sublimation.
Five Changes of State are:

 Melting
 Freezing
 Evaporation
 Condensation
 Sublimation
The process by which a substance changes from the solid phase to the liquid phase is known as
melting.
The process by which a substance changes from the liquid phase to the solid phase is known as
freezing.
The process by which a substance changes from the liquid phase to the gaseous phase is known
as evaporation. The process by which a substance changes from the gaseous phase to the liquid
phase is known as condensation. The transition of the solid phase to the gaseous phase without
passing the intermediate liquid phase is known as sublimation.

Conclusion
It will interest you to know that every object in existence undergoes a state change. It is only a
question of the amount of heat supplied to the substance. If you supply enough heat, everything
on this planet can be made to change its state. The thing is though not every substance has to
follow the solid-liquid-gas path. Some substances can naturally change from their solid-state to
their gaseous state without entering the liquid state. This phenomenon is known as Sublimation.
Examples of sublimation are, the element Iodine, Dry ice (solid CO ) and high-quality coal
2

which at high-temperature burns and sublimates into vapour.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ’s

When solids reach their melting point, what do they become?

Solids transform into liquid when they reach their melting point.

What is the boiling point?

Boiling point is defined as a temperature at which a pure liquid changes into a gas.
What is the melting point?
The melting point is defined as the temperature at which the solid starts to melt.

What is the process in which solids directly transform into a gas?

Sublimation is defined as the process in which the solid-state changes to a gaseous state without
changing into a liquid state.

What is evaporation?
When the liquid gets converted to gas at all the temperatures, it is known as evaporation.

Changing States of Matter Questions

When the cubes of ice melt down from solid to liquid water or when a candle burns into flames,
you must have observed and wondered how it happens? Well, this is because of the changing
states of matter. But have you ever thought about why substances change form?
Actually, this process of changing states in matter occurs when a matter absorbs or loses energy.
Atoms and molecules move more rapidly when a substance absorbs energy, as a result of which
the kinetic energy increases that forces or pushes the particles to such an extent that they change
their form. Generally, this energy is heat or thermal energy.

What are changes of state?

Generally, matter experiences two main types of changes: chemical change and physical change.
In the process of physical change, there is no alteration in the natural identity of the matter,
though the change in its state, size, and shape occurs. And as far as chemical change is
concerned, there are no chances of reversing it back; you can only do it under some special
conditions. Some common state changes include freezing, melting, condensation, vaporization
etc.

What is the reason for the occurrence of phase changes?

Phase changes occur due to the change in pressure and temperature of a system. The contact
between the molecules increases when the pressure or temperature increases. In the same way,
when the temperature declines, the molecules and atoms settle into a more stiff or solid structure.

Freezing
In a liquid state solvent, the particles are loosely bonded with each other, which indicates a weak
force of attraction between them as compared to the solid state. When the temperature of a liquid
is dropped below the freezing point of solid, then liquid changes into solid ice, and this
phenomenon is termed as freezing.
Freezing is basically a phase transition that happens when a liquid turns into a solid-state, and the
temperature at which it occurs is known as the freezing point. It is an exothermic reaction since
the heat is released during the freezing process. Freezing is also termed solidification.
To summarise all of this, the solidifying phase change of liquid is what we call as freezing,
which primarily occurs due to the cooling of a substance.

Melting
The process of solid turning into liquid state is known as melting; it is also termed as fusion.
When the cubes of ice from the freezer are placed in a room with normal temperature, the ice
starts melting because it absorbs energy from the warmer air present in the surroundings. As a
result of which, the ice overcomes the force of attraction between its particles that are holding it
together, which permits them to slip out of the static position held by the ice. And the
temperature at which solid changes into liquid is known as the melting point.

Vaporization
Vaporization is basically a transition phase in which the liquid state of a substance changes into
the gaseous state. When liquid converts into gas, then particles separate from each other because
the liquid particles completely overcome the force of attraction between them and change to the
gaseous state. This happens because the particles of liquid gain enough energy when heated. The
temperature at which a liquid boils is its boiling point.
Vaporization is of two types – Evaporation and Boiling.

Condensation
The process of transformation of the stage of water, where the vapour converts to the liquid state,
is termed Condensation.
Condensation can be accomplished in the following two ways:

 If the air is cooled until its dew point.

 Saturation with water vapour to such an extent that it resists holding any further quantity
of water.
Condensation can also be called the reverse reaction of evaporation, where the liquid water turns
to a vapour state. Through the process of evaporation into the air moisture at several atmospheric
temperatures and pressures, the rate of Condensation can be measured. The process of
Condensation also includes the removal of heat from a system where the vapour is transformed
into liquid.

Sublimation
Sublimation is the process in which solids directly transform into gases. When solids absorb
sufficient energy to overcome the forces of attraction between their particles completely, then the
process of sublimation occurs. One of the most common examples of solid that goes under
sublimation is dry ice.

Important Questions on Changing States of Matter

1) What are the two basic types of changes that occur in the matter?
Generally, matter experiences two main types of changes: chemical change and physical change.
In the process of physical change, there is no alteration in the natural identity of the matter,
though the change in its state, size, and shape occurs. And as far as chemical change is
concerned, there are no chances of reversing it back; you can only do it under some special
conditions.
2) How many basic changes of states of matter are there?
There are basically six changing states of matter; they are as follows:
1. Melting: The process in which solid gets converted into liquid.
2. Freezing: It is basically a phase transition that happens when a liquid turns into a solid state.
3. Vaporization: The transition phase in which the liquid state of a substance changes into the
gaseous state.
4. Condensation: The process of transformation of the stage of water where the vapour converts
to the liquid state.
5. Sublimation: The process in which solids directly transform into gases.
6. Deposition: The process in which gas gets transformed into a solid form.

3) What are the factors affecting the states of matter change?

The change in the state happens due to the following factors:

 Change in intermolecular force of attraction
 Variation in temperature
 Variation in pressure
 Alteration in kinetic energy of the particle.
4) Define Melting point and Boiling point.
Melting Point: The temperature at which solid changes or melts into liquid at atmospheric
pressure is known as the melting point.
Boiling point: At atmospheric pressure, the temperature at which a liquid boils to form vapours
is known as its boiling point. The boiling point of water is 373k.
5) Define Latent heat of fusion.
Latent Heat of Fusion: The amount of heat required to convert 1 kilogram of the solid into
liquid without any change in temperature is called the latent heat of fusion.
6) Why is solid CO2 termed as dry ice?
On the decrease of pressure to 1 atm, solid CO  gets transformed directly to the gaseous state
2

without coming into a liquid state that’s why it is also identified as Dry ice. Because of this
reason, it is stored under high pressure.
7) What is Latent heat of vaporization?
Latent Heat of Vaporization: When a material in the liquid state is given energy, it transforms
from the liquid phase to the vapour phase without change in temperature, and the energy
absorbed in this process is known as latent heat of vaporization.
The latent heat of vaporization of water is 2260kJ/Kg which is equal to 40.8kJ/mol.
8) What are the real-life examples of condensation?
Some of the real-life examples of condensation are –

 Formation of clouds and water cycle

 Morning dew
 Fog on the mirror
 Foggy breath during cold weathers
 Foggy windshield
9) Why do water vapours at 100  C cause more burns as compared to liquid water at the
o

same temperature?
Water vapours hold more energy at 100° C than the equivalent particles of liquid. This happens
because water vapours absorb larger energy in the form of latent heat of vaporisation, as
compared to liquids.
10) What causes phase change?
Phase changes occur due to the change in pressure and temperature of a system. The contact
between the molecules increases when the pressure or temperature increases. In the same way,
when the temperature declines, the molecules and atoms settle into a more stiff or solid structure.

Practice Questions
1. Why does evaporation result in cooling?
2. Why do we wear cotton clothes in summer?
3. Differentiate between melting and boiling.
4. Why can gases be compressed easily as compared to liquids?
5. What is Humidity?

Atoms and Molecules

What is an Atom?
Atoms are defined as “the basic building blocks of matter”.
It is the smallest constituent unit of matter that possess the properties of the chemical element.
Atoms don’t exist independently, instead, they form ions and molecules which further combine
in large numbers to form matter that we see, feel and touch.

Table of Content
  Atoms and Molecules Definition
 Recommended Videos
 Atom Definition Chemistry
 What is the Size of an Atom?
 Relative Sizes
 What are Atoms made of?
 What is Atomic Mass?
 Salient features of Dalton’s Atomic Theory
 What is a Molecule?
 Examples of Molecules
 Forces between Atoms and Molecules
 Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

Atoms and Molecules Definition

Atoms are much too small to be seen; hence experiments to find out their structure and behavior
have to be conducted with large numbers of them. From the results of these experiments we may
attempt to construct a hypothetical model of an atom that behaves like the true atom.
Molecules consist of one or more atoms bound together by covalent (chemical) bonds. Atoms
may be depicted by circle shapes, each of which has a nucleus at the center (containing protons
and neutrons), surrounded by one or more concentric circles representing the ‘shells’ or ‘levels’
in which the electrons surrounding the nucleus of the atom are located and markings indicating
the [Link] each level. A molecule is the smallest thing a substance can be divided into while
remaining the same substance. It is made up of two or more atoms that are bound together by
chemical bonding.

Atoms and Molecules

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Atom Definition Chemistry
The smallest particle of an element, which may or may not have an independent existence but
always takes place in a chemical reaction is called an atom. An atom is defined as the smallest
unit that retains the properties of an element. An atom is composed of sub-atomic particles and
these cannot be made or destroyed. All atoms of the same element are identical and different
elements have different types of atoms. Chemical reactions occur when atoms are rearranged.
Atoms consist of three fundamental types of particles, protons, electrons and neutrons. Neutrons
and protons have approximately the same mass and in contrast to this the mass of an electron is
negligible. A proton carries a positive charge, a neutron has no charge and an electron is
negatively charged. An atom contains equal numbers of protons and electrons and therefore
overall an atom has no charge. The nucleus of an atom contains protons and neutrons only, and
therefore is positively charged. The electrons occupy the region of space around the nucleus.
Therefore, most of the mass is concentrated within the nucleus.
The center of the atom is called the nucleus. The nucleus contains neutrons and protons that give
an atom its weight and positive charges. A neutron carries no charge and has a mass of one unit.
A proton carries a single positive charge and also has a mass of one unit, The atomic number of
an element is equal to the number of protons or positive charges in the nucleus. The atomic
weight of an element is determined by combining the total number of protons and neutrons in the
nucleus. An electron carries a single negative charge. If an atom of an element is to have zero
charge, it must have the same number of electrons as protons. These electrons are arranged in
orbits around the nucleus of the atom like the layers of an anion.

What is the Size of an Atom?

The size of an atom is extremely small, much smaller than our imagination. A layer of an atom
as thick as a thin sheet of paper is formed when more than millions of atoms are stacked
together. It is impossible to measure the size of an isolated atom because it’s difficult to locate
the positions of electrons surrounding the nucleus.
However, the size of an atom can be estimated by assuming that the distance between adjacent
atoms is equal to half the radius of an atom. Atomic radius is generally measured in nanometres.
1m=

Relative Sizes
Examples Radii (m)

Atom of Hydrogen

Molecule of water
 Molecule of hemoglobin

Grain of Sand

What are Atoms made of?

An atom is composed of three particles, namely,  neutrons, protons and electrons with hydrogen
as an exception without neutrons.

 Every atom has a nucleus that bounds one or more electrons around it.
 The nucleus has typically a similar number of protons and neutrons which are together
known as nucleons.
 The protons are positively charged, electrons are negatively charged and neutrons are
neutral.

What is Atomic Mass?

It is the mass of an atom in a chemical element. It is roughly equivalent to the total neutrons and
protons present in the atom. It is expressed in atomic mass units (denoted by u). 1amu is equal to
the exactly one-twelfth of the mass of 1 atom of C-12 and the relative atomic masses of elements
is determined with respect to-12 atom.

Atomic masses of Some Elements

Elements Atomic Mass (u)

Hydrogen 1

Carbon 12

Nitrogen 14

Oxygen 16

Sodium 23

Magnesium 24

Sulfur 32

Chlorine 35.5

Calcium 40
Salient features of Dalton’s Atomic Theory
 The matter is composed of minute particles known as atoms.
 Atoms are indivisible particles that can’t be destroyed or created through chemical
reactions.
 All atoms of an element have identical chemical properties and mass whereas, atoms of
different elements have different chemical properties and masses.
 Atoms combine in a ratio of small whole numbers to form compounds.
The matter is anything and everything in our surrounding. It has basic structural and fundamental
units. Let us examine the concept of matter with an example. Taking a storybook into
consideration and dividing its structure. The book contains many pages, each page consists of
paragraphs, and each paragraph has many sentences.
Each sentence will further have many words and each word will have characters. Therefore we
have divided a storybook into characters. This is exactly the same case when we take the matter
into account. The matter is made up of substances which contain molecules. The molecules, in
turn, are made up of groups of atoms.
Atoms in simple terms are defined as the smallest unit of matter. In ancient times scientists
wondered whether the matter could be further divided or not. Around 500 BC the idea of
divisibility of matter evolved in India. A scientist named Maharishi Kanad stated that matter
can be divided into smaller and smaller units. The smallest unit of matter after which further
division was not possible was known as parmanu.

What is a Molecule?

Molecule Definition
A molecule is defined as the smallest unit of a compound that contains the chemical
properties of the compound.
Molecules are made up of groups of atoms. Describing the structure of an atom, an atom is also
sub-divided into smaller units. Protons, electrons, and neutrons are sub-particles of an atom. The
protons and neutrons are contained inside the nucleus of the atom and electrons revolve around
the nucleus.
Protons are positively charged particles whereas electrons are negatively charged particles.
Neutrons do not carry any charge. So we can say that the nucleus is positively charged due to the
presence of protons. The nucleus is a bulk mass at the centre of an atom. Atoms are largely
vacant.
Every element has a certain atomic number. The atomic number of an element is defined as the
number of protons present in its nucleus. It is denoted by Z.
When we talk about the mass of atoms, the mass of their particles is taken into consideration.
Electrons have negligible mass. Hence the mass of an atom is the sum of the mass of protons and
neutrons. The mass number is denoted by A.
A molecule is the smallest unit (particle) of a compound having the physical and chemical
properties of that compound. This does not mean that molecules can not be broken down into
smaller parts, e.g. the atoms from which they are formed or the fragments of the molecule, each
consisting of several atoms or parts of atoms.
A molecule is defined as the smallest unit of a compound that contains the chemical properties of
the compound. Molecules are made up of groups of atoms. Describing the structure of an atom,
an atom is also sub-divided into smaller units. Proton, electrons, and neutrons are sub-particles of
an atom. The protons and neutrons are contained inside the nucleus of the atom and electrons
revolve around the nucleus.

Examples of Molecules
A molecule is a collection of two or more atoms that make up the smallest recognisable unit into
which a pure material may be split while maintaining its makeup and chemical characteristics.
Some examples of molecules are

 H2O (water)
 N2 (nitrogen)
 O3 (ozone)
 CaO (calcium oxide)
 C6H12O6 (glucose, a type of sugar)
 NaCl (table salt)

Forces between Atoms and Molecules

The simplest forces between atoms are those which arise as a result of electron transfer. A simple
example is that of say sodium fluoride. The sodium atom has a nuclear charge of +11, with 2
electrons in the K shell, 8 in the L shell and 1 in the M shell. The fluorine atom has a nuclear
charge of 9 with 2 electrons in the K shell and 7 in the L shell.
The outermost electron in the sodium atom may transfer readily to the fluorine atom; both atoms
then have a complete shell but the sodium now has a net charge of +1 and the fluorine a net
charge of -1. These ions, therefore, attract one another by direct coulombic interaction. The force
between them is strong it varies as x-2, where x is the distance between the ions, and it acts in the
direction of the line joining the ions.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

How do atoms become molecules?

As atoms come together to form molecules, chemical bonds bind them together. As a
consequence of sharing or exchanging electrons between the atoms, these bonds form. It is only
the electrons that are ever active in bonding in the outermost shell.

What is a simple molecule?

Water is known to be a basic molecule consisting of a few atoms. Basic molecular substances are
molecules in which strong covalent bonds bind the atoms. Nevertheless, weak forces bind the
molecules together so that they have high melting and boiling points.

Is ozone a molecule?
Ozone is a molecule made up of three atoms of oxygen. The chemical ozone symbol is O3 as the
oxygen atom symbol is O. Most of the ozone present in our atmosphere is produced by a sun-
emitted association of oxygen molecules with ultraviolet radiation.

Can a molecule have one atom?

An electrically neutral group of two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds is the most
basic definition of molecule. In that sense, no, by nature, a molecule can not be formed from a
single atom.

What is the structure of an atom?

Atoms are composed of three elementary particles: protons, electrons , and neutrons. The atom’s
nucleus (center) contains the protons (positively charged) and neutrons (without charge). The
atom’s outermost regions are called electron shells, which contain (negative charged) electrons.

Is Salt a molecule?
Molecules are subject to molecular bonds. Something like table salt ( NaCl) is a compound
because it is made of more than one type of element (sodium and chlorine), but it is not a
molecule because it is an ionic bond that holds NaCl together. We can say sodium chloride is an
ionic compound.

What is Atom and example?

Many atoms consist of a positively charged nucleus consisting of protons and neutrons
surrounded by a cloud of electrons charged negatively. An atom is any particle of matter at its
most basic level which contains at least one proton. Here are some examples of the atoms:
hydrogen (H) and neon (Ne).

What is the work of an atom?

The protons and neutrons are packed together into the center of the atom (which is called the
nucleus) and the much smaller electrons, whizzing around the outside. When people draw
images of atoms they show the electrons like satellites spinning in orbits around the Earth.
What is the difference between atoms and molecules?
A tiny particle of a chemical element is called an atom, which may or may not exist
independently. Molecules refer to the group of atoms that the bond binds together, representing
the smallest unit in a compound. Two or more identical or distinct atoms are chemically bonded.

Is oxygen a molecule?
Oxygen is a molecule made up of two atoms of oxygen bound by a covalent double bond to form
dioxygen or O2

Atomic Structure - Discovery of Subatomic Particles

Atomic structure refers to the structure of an atom comprising a nucleus (centre) in which
the protons (positively charged) and neutrons (neutral) are present. The negatively charged
particles called electrons revolve around the centre of the nucleus.
The history of atomic structure and quantum mechanics dates back to the times of Democritus,
the man who first proposed that matter is composed of atoms. The study about the structure of an
atom gives a great insight into the entire class of chemical reactions, bonds and their physical
properties. The first scientific theory of atomic structure was proposed by John Dalton in the
1800s.

Structure of Atom – Important Topics

5,193

Table of Content
 What is Atomic Structure?
 Atomic Models
 Dalton’s Atomic Theory
 Thomson Atomic Model
 Rutherford Atomic Theory
 Subatomic Particles
 Atomic Structure of Isotopes
 Bohr’s Atomic Theory
 Dual Nature of Matter
 FAQs
The advances in atomic structure and quantum mechanics have led to the discovery of other
fundamental particles. The discovery of subatomic particles has been the base for many other
discoveries and inventions.
What is Atomic Structure?
The atomic structure of an element refers to the constitution of its nucleus and the arrangement
of the electrons around it. Primarily, the atomic structure of matter is made up of protons,
electrons and neutrons.
The protons and neutrons make up the nucleus of the atom, which is surrounded by the
electrons belonging to the atom. The atomic number of an element describes the total number of
protons in its nucleus.

Neutral atoms have equal numbers of protons and electrons. However, atoms may gain or lose
electrons in order to increase their stability and the resulting charged entity is called an ion.
Atoms of different elements have different atomic structures because they contain different
numbers of protons and electrons. This is the reason for the unique characteristics of different
elements.

Atomic Models
In the 18th and 19th centuries, many scientists attempted to explain the structure of the atom
with the help of atomic models. Each of these models had their own merits and demerits and
were pivotal to the development of the modern atomic model. The most notable contributions
to the field were by the scientists such as John Dalton, J.J. Thomson, Ernest Rutherford and Niels
Bohr. Their ideas on the structure of the atom are discussed in this subsection.

Dalton’s Atomic Theory

The English chemist John Dalton suggested that all matter is made up of atoms, which were
indivisible and indestructible. He also stated that all the atoms of an element were exactly the
same, but the atoms of different elements differ in size and mass.
Chemical reactions, according to Dalton’s atomic theory, involve a rearrangement of atoms to
form products. According to the postulates proposed by Dalton, the atomic structure comprised
atoms, the smallest particle responsible for the chemical reactions to occur.
The following are the postulates of his theory:

 Every matter is made up of atoms.

 Atoms are indivisible.
 Specific elements have only one type of atoms in them.
 Each atom has its own constant mass that varies from element to element.
 Atoms undergo rearrangement during a chemical reaction.
 Atoms can neither be created nor be destroyed but can be transformed from one form to
another.
Dalton’s atomic theory successfully explained the Laws of chemical reactions, namely, the Law
of conservation of mass, Law of constant properties, Law of multiple proportions and Law of
reciprocal proportions.

Demerits of Dalton’s Atomic Theory

 The theory was unable to explain the existence of isotopes.
 Nothing about the structure of atom was appropriately explained.
 Later, the scientists discovered particles inside the atom that proved, the atoms are
divisible.
The discovery of particles inside atoms led to a better understanding of chemical species, these
particles inside the atoms are called subatomic particles. The discovery of various subatomic
particles is as follows:

Thomson Atomic Model

The English chemist Sir Joseph John Thomson put forth his model describing the atomic
structure in the early 1900s.
He was later awarded the Nobel prize for the discovery of “electrons”. His work is based on an
experiment called cathode ray experiment. The construction of working of the experiment is as
follows:

Cathode Ray Experiment

It has a tube made of glass which has two openings, one for the vacuum pump and the other for
the inlet through which a gas is pumped in.
The role of the vacuum pump is to maintain “partial vacuum” inside the glass chamber. A high
voltage power supply is connected using electrodes i.e. cathode and Anode is fitted inside the
glass tube.
Observations:

 When a high voltage power supply is switched on, there were rays emerging from the
cathode towards the anode. This was confirmed by the ‘Fluorescent spots’ on the ZnS
screen used. These rays were called “Cathode Rays”.
 When an external electric field is applied, the cathode rays get deflected towards the
positive electrode, but in the absence of electric field, they travel in a straight line.
 When rotor Blades are placed in the path of the cathode rays, they seem to rotate. This
proves that the cathode rays are made up of particles of a certain mass, so that they have
 some energy.

 With all this evidence, Thompson concluded that cathode rays are made of negatively
charged particles called “electrons”.
 On applying the electric and magnetic field upon the cathode rays (electrons), Thomson
found the charge to mass ratio (e/m) of electrons. (e/m) for electron: 17588 × 10  e/bg.
11

From this ratio, the charge of the electron was found by Mullikin through oil drop experiment.
[Charge of e  = 1.6 × 10  C and Mass of e  = 9.1093 × 10  kg].
– -16 – -31

Conclusions:
Based on conclusions from his cathode ray experiment, Thomson described the atomic structure
as a positively charged sphere into which negatively charged electrons were embedded.
It is commonly referred to as the “plum pudding model” because it can be visualized as a plum
pudding dish where the pudding describes the positively charged atom and the plum pieces
describe the electrons.
Thomson’s atomic structure described atoms as electrically neutral, i.e. the positive and the
negative charges were of equal magnitude.
Limitations of Thomson’s Atomic Structure: Thomson’s atomic model does not clearly
explain the stability of an atom. Also, further discoveries of other subatomic particles, couldn’t
be placed inside his atomic model.

Rutherford Atomic Theory

Rutherford, a student of J. J. Thomson modified the atomic structure with the discovery of
another subatomic particle called “Nucleus”. His atomic model is based on the Alpha ray
scattering experiment.
Alpha Ray Scattering Experiment
Construction:

 A very thin gold foil of 1000 atoms thick is taken.

 Alpha rays (doubly charged Helium He ) were made to bombard the gold foil.
2+

 Zn S screen is placed behind the gold foil.

Observations:

 Most of the rays just went through the gold foil making scintillations (bright spots) in
the ZnS screen.
 A few rays got reflected after hitting the gold foil.
 One in 1000 rays got reflected by an angle of 180° (retraced path) after hitting the gold
foil.
Conclusions:

 Since most rays passed through, Rutherford concluded that most of the space inside the
atom is empty.
 Few rays got reflected because of the repulsion of its positive with some other positive
charge inside the atom.
 1/1000th of rays got strongly deflected because of a very strong positive charge in the
center of the atom. He called this strong positive charge as “nucleus”.
 He said most of the charge and mass of the atom resides in the Nucleus

Rutherford’s Structure of Atom

Based on the above observations and conclusions, Rutherford proposed his own atomic
structure which is as follows.

 The nucleus is at the center of an atom, where most of the charge and mass are
concentrated.
 Atomic structure is spherical.
 Electrons revolve around the nucleus in a circular orbit, similar to the way planets orbit
the sun.

Limitations of Rutherford Atomic Model

 If electrons have to revolve around the nucleus, they will spend energy and that too
against the strong force of attraction from the nucleus, a lot of energy will be spent by the
electrons and eventually, they will lose all their energy and will fall into the nucleus so
the stability of atom is not explained.
  If electrons continuously revolve around the ‘nucleus, the type of spectrum expected is a
continuous spectrum. But in reality, what we see is a line spectrum.

Atomic Structure – Rutherford’s Model, J.J Thomson Model

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Subatomic Particles

Protons
 Protons are positively charged subatomic particles. The charge of a proton is 1e, which
corresponds to approximately 1.602 × 10 -19

 The mass of a proton is approximately 1.672 × 10 -24

 Protons are over 1800 times heavier than electrons.

 The total number of protons in the atoms of an element is always equal to the atomic
number of the element.

Neutrons
  The mass of a neutron is almost the same as that of a proton i.e. 1.674×10-24

 Neutrons are electrically neutral particles and carry no charge.

 Different isotopes of an element have the same number of protons but vary in the number
of neutrons present in their respective nuclei.

Electrons
 The charge of an electron is -1e, which approximates to -1.602 × 10 -19

 The mass of an electron is approximately 9.1 × 10 .

-31

 Due to the relatively negligible mass of electrons, they are ignored when calculating the
mass of an atom.

Atomic Structure of Isotopes

Nucleons are the components of the nucleus of an atom. A nucleon can either be a proton or a
neutron. Each element has a unique number of protons in it, which is described by its
unique atomic number. However, several atomic structures of an element can exist, which differ
in the total number of nucleons.
These variants of elements having a different nucleon number (also known as the mass number)
are called isotopes of the element. Therefore, the isotopes of an element have the same number
of protons but differ in the number of neutrons.
The atomic structure of an isotope is described with the help of the chemical symbol of the
element, the atomic number of the element, and the mass number of the isotope. For example,
there exist three known naturally occurring isotopes of hydrogen, namely, protium, deuterium,
and tritium. The atomic structures of these hydrogen isotopes are illustrated below.
The isotopes of an element vary in stability. The half-lives of isotopes also differ. However, they
generally have similar chemical behavior owing to the fact that they hold the same electronic
structures.

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Atomic Structures of Some Elements

The structure of atom of an element can be simply represented via the total number of protons,
electrons, and neutrons present in it. The atomic structures of a few elements are illustrated
below.

Hydrogen
The most abundant isotope of hydrogen on the planet Earth is protium. The atomic number and
the mass number of this isotope are 1 and 1, respectively.
Structure of Hydrogen atom: This implies that it contains one proton, one electron, and no
neutrons ( total number of neutrons = mass number – atomic number)

Carbon
Carbon has two stable isotopes – 12C and 13C. Of these isotopes, 12C has an abundance of
98.9%. It contains 6 protons, 6 electrons, and 6 neutrons.
Structure of Carbon atom: The electrons are distributed into two shells and the outermost shell
(valence shell) has four electrons. The tetravalency of carbon enables it to form a variety of
chemical bonds with various elements.
Oxygen
There exist three stable isotopes of oxygen – 18O, 17O, and 16O. However, oxygen-16 is the
most abundant isotope.
Structure of Oxygen atom: Since the atomic number of this isotope is 8 and the mass number is
16, it consists of 8 protons and 8 neutrons. 6 out of the 8 electrons in an oxygen atom lie in the
valence shell.

Bohr’s Atomic Theory

Neils Bohr put forth his model of the atom in the year 1915. This is the most widely used atomic
model to describe the atomic structure of an element which is based on Planck’s theory of
quantization.

Postulates:
 The electrons inside atoms are placed in discrete orbits called “stationery orbits”.
 The energy levels of these shells can be represented via quantum numbers.
 Electrons can jump to higher levels by absorbing energy and move to lower energy levels
by losing or emitting its energy.
 As longs as, an electron stays in its own stationery, there will be no absorption or
emission of energy.
 Electrons revolve around the nucleus in these stationery orbits only.
 The energy of the stationary orbits is quantized.

Limitations of Bohr’s Atomic Theory:

 Bohr’s atomic structure works only for single electron species such as H, He+, Li2+,
Be3+, ….
 When the emission spectrum of hydrogen was observed under a more accurate
spectrometer, each line spectrum was seen to be a combination of no of smaller discrete
lines.
 Both Stark and Zeeman effects couldn’t be explain using Bohr’s theory.
Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle: Heisenberg stated that no two conjugate physical
quantities can be measured simultaneously with 100% accuracy. These will always be some error
or uncertainty in the measurement.
Drawback: Position and momentum are two such conjugate quantities that were measured
accurately by Bohr (theoretically).
Stark effect: Phenomenon of deflection of electrons in the presence of an electric field.
Zeeman effect: Phenomenon of deflection of electrons in the presence of a magnetic field.
Dual Nature of Matter
The electrons which were treated to be particles, the evidence of photoelectric effect shows they
also have wave nature. This was proved by Thomas young with the help of his double slit
experiment.
De-Broglie concluded that since nature is symmetrical, so should be light or any other matter
wave.

Quantum Numbers
 Principal Quantum number (n): It denotes the orbital number or shell number of
electron.
 Azimuthal Quantum numbers (l): It denotes the orbital (sub-orbit) of the electron.
 Magnetic Quantum number: It denotes the number of energy states in each orbit.
 Spin Quantum number(s): It denotes the direction of spin, S = -½ = Anticlockwise and
½ = Clockwise.

Electronic Configuration of an Atom

The electrons have to be filled in the s, p, d, f in accordance with the following rule.
1. Aufbau’s principle: The filling of electrons should take place in accordance with the
ascending order of energy of orbitals:

 Lower energy orbital should be filled first and higher energy levels.
 The energy of orbital α(p + l) value it two orbitals have same (n + l) value, E α n
 Ascending order of energy 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, . . .
2. Pauli’s exclusion principle: No two electrons can have all the four quantum numbers to be
the same or if two electrons have to be placed in an energy state they should be placed with
opposite spies.
3. Hund’s rule of maximum multiplicity: In the case of filling degenerate (same energy)
orbitals, all the degenerate orbitals have to be singly filled first and then only pairing has to
happen.

Atomic Structure Solved Problems and Solutions

3,05,570

Atomic Structure – Important Questions

4,063

Structure of Atom Class 11 – Full Chapter Revision

1,654

Structure of Atom – Top 12 Most Important JEE Main Questions

1,326

Frequently Asked Questions On Atomic Structure

What are subatomic particles?

Subatomic particles are the particles that constitute an atom. Generally, this term refers to
protons, electrons, and neutrons.

How do the atomic structures of isotopes vary?

They vary in terms of the total number of neutrons present in the nucleus of the atom, which is
described by their nucleon numbers.

What are the shortcomings of Bohr’s atomic model?

According to this atomic model, the structure of an atom offers poor spectral predictions for
larger atoms. It also failed to explain the Zeeman effect. It could only successfully explain the
hydrogen spectrum.
How can the total number of neutrons in the nucleus of a given isotope be
determined?
The mass number of an isotope is given by the sum of the total number of protons and neutrons
in it. The atomic number describes the total number of protons in the nucleus. Therefore, the
number of neutrons can be determined by subtracting the atomic number from the mass number.

Table of Content
Compounds Elements FAQs
Elements and compounds are the two forms in which pure substances exist.

Element Definition:
Elements – Elements constitute the simplest chemical substances in which all
the atoms are exactly the same.

Compound Definition:
Compounds – Compounds are chemical substances made up of two or more
elements that are chemically bound together in a fixed ratio.
Chemistry is the study of the structures, physical properties, and chemical properties of material
substances. It is very important to understand that all gases, liquids and solids are not the same. All
are different in terms of their composition. This is the reason why the classification of the matter is
very important.

Classification of Matter
1. Elements
2. Compounds
3. Mixtures

Here we are going to discuss two categories of the matter: Elements and Compounds
What is a Compound?
When two or more elements chemically combine in a fixed ratio by mass, the obtained product is
known as a compound. Compounds can be defined as substances consisting of 2 or more different
types of elements in a fixed ratio of their atoms. When the elements combine, some individual
property of the elements is lost and the newly formed compound has new properties.

Chemical Formula:  Compounds are represented by their chemical formula. A chemical formula is a
symbolic representation of the proportions of atoms that constitute a particular chemical
compound.

The chemical formula of water is H2O which shows two atoms of hydrogen and one atom
of oxygen have combined to form one molecule of H2O. The chemical formula for common salt is
NaCl which shows one atom of sodium and one atom of chlorine combine to form one molecule of
NaCl.

1. Types Of Compounds
Compounds can be classified into two types, molecular compounds and salts. In molecular
compounds, the atom binds each other through covalent bonds. In salts, it is held together with ionic
bonds. These are the two types of bonds out of which every compound is made of.

2. Example Of Compounds

 Example of compounds includes water (H2O), Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2), etc. You could see
water’s chemical formula, it says it has 2 atoms of Hydrogen combined with 1 atom of
oxygen and in hydrogen peroxide, it has 2 atoms of hydrogen and two atoms of oxygen.
 Similarly,  an example of salt would be the table salt (NaCl) which has 1 atom of sodium and
one atom of chlorine.
Examples of some commonly used compounds and their molecular
formula:

Compound Name Compound Formula

Alcohol C2H6O

Acetic Acid C2H4O2

Sulphuric Acid H2SO4

Ammonia NH3

Methane CH4

Nitrous oxide N2O

Salt NaCl

Recommended Videos

Chemical Bonding

5,81,888
What are the Elements?
We can define elements as a species of atoms that have the same number of protons in their atomic
nuclei. Although an element’s atoms have the same number of protons, they can have different
numbers of neutrons and hence different masses.

Isotopes: When atoms of the same element have different numbers of neutrons, they are known as
isotopes. As of now, there are 118 elements, of which the first 94 are naturally occurring while the
remaining 24 are synthetic elements.

Elements are complete chemical substances which relate to a single entry in the modern periodic
table. Elements consist of one kind of atom only. They cannot be broken down into simpler
fragments and can exist as atoms or as molecules. Elements are represented by symbols that are
assigned by IUPAC. For example, Oxygen is represented by O, Aluminium is represented by Al, etc.

1. Types of Elements
The elements are arranged in the periodic table and are split depending upon their groups as either
metallic or non-metallic. Metallic is further classified into Main Group Metals, Transition Metals, and
f-block metals. These are again further divided, depending upon their properties.

2. Examples of Elements
Elements exist in their simplest form and cannot be broken down further. So, elements can exist in
the form of ions, atoms, isotopes, molecules.

 An example of an element is Nitrogen atom(N), Nitrogen gas (N 2), Nitrogen ion(N3–) and
Nitrogen isotopes (Nitrogen-13, Nitrogen-14, and Nitrogen-15).
Similarly, you could see other elements’ existence.

Examples of some commonly used elements along with their chemical symbols:

Name of the element Chemical symbol

Hydrogen (H)

Boron (B)

Carbon (C)

Silicon (Si)

Sodium (Na)

Lead (Pb)

Platinum (Pt)
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

What does compound mean?

A compound is a material formed by chemically bonding two or more chemical elements. The type
of bond keeping elements in a compound together may vary: covalent bonds and ionic bonds are
two common types. The elements are always present in fixed ratios in any compound.

What is an example of a compound?

A compound is a material composed of two or more components. Water, carbon dioxide and table
salt are some examples of compounds.

What is the classification of compounds?

There are two basic groups of compounds. We are characterized by the way the atoms in the
compound bind to each other. Such two types are called “molecular” and “salt” compounds.

What is the meaning of the term element?

A material that can not be separated by chemical means into simpler substances. Each element
consists of atoms with the same atomic number, that is, each atom has in its nucleus the same
number of protons as all other atoms of that element.

Is pure substance an element?

A component is a single material that can not be divided into various types of substances. Carbon,
oxygen, hydrogen, gold, silver and iron are examples of elements. Every element consists of just one
atom form.

What is the difference between an element a compound and a mixture?

A material that only consists of one form of atom. Compound: A material which consists of more
than one form of bonded atom. Mixture: a blend of two or more unbounded components or
compounds; each component of the mixture preserves its own properties.

What are the two classifications of mixtures?

Two major groups can be divided into mixtures: homogeneous and heterogeneous. A homogeneous
mixture is one in which the entire composition of its elements is combined evenly.

What is an atom element compound and mixture?

The same number of protons and electrons would be found in a single atom and most atoms
contain at least as many neutrons as protons. An element is a material completely formed from one
form of atom. A composite is a material consisting of chemically connected two or more separate
elements.

History of the Periodic Table

Earlier scientists assumed that the properties of elements are periodic functions of their atomic
masses. On the basis of this assumption, Mendeleev placed 63 elements in a vertical column called
groups and in horizontal rows called periods.

This method was rejected as it could not explain the position of certain elements, rare earth metals,
and isotopes. A scientist named Henry Moseley removed these defects and put forward the modern
periodic table with the modern periodic law.

Table of Content


 Recommended Videos on Modern Periodic Table

 Moseley’s Periodic Law
 Modern Periodic Table
 Features of Modern Periodic Table
 Classifications Of Elements in the Periodic Table
 FAQs

Recommended Videos on Modern Periodic Table

1,97,170

Moseleys Periodic Law:

In the year 1913, Henry Moseley studied the frequencies of the X-rays Which were emitted when
certain metals were bombarded with high speed electrons. He found that in all the cases, the square
root of the frequency was directly proportional to the atomic number of the atom of the metals.
These studies believe that atomic number is the fundamental property of an element. In the above
observation Moseley gave the “Modern Periodic Law” which states that:

Physical and chemical properties of the elements are the periodic functions of
their atomic numbers.

Modern Periodic Table:

A tabular arrangement of elements in groups and periods which highlights the regular trends in
properties of elements is defined as the periodic table.
Features of Modern Periodic Table
There are eighteen vertical columns known as groups in the modern periodic table which are
arranged from left to right and seven horizontal rows which are known as periods.

Group number Group name Property

Group 1 or IA Alkali metals They form strong alkalis with water

Group 2 or IIA Alkaline earth metals They also form alkalis but weaker than group 1 elements

Group 13 or IIIA Boron family Boron is the first member of this family

Group 14 or IVA Carbon family Carbon is the first member of this family

Group 15 or VA Nitrogen family This group has non-metals and metalloids

Group 16 or VIA Oxygen family They are also known as chalcogens

Group 17 or VIIA Halogen family The elements of this group form salts.

They are noble gases and under normal conditions they are
Group 18 Zero group
inert.
Also, Read:
 History Of Modern Periodic Table Trends Of Chemical Reactivity in Periodic Table

Classifications Of Elements in the Periodic Table

The elements of groups 1, 2, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 are known as the main group elements or normal
elements. The elements of groups 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 12 are known as the transition elements.
Group 18 is called noble gases or inert gases. Their outermost shell is completely filled. Due to this
stable electronic configuration, they generally don’t react with the other elements.

When we talk about the periods of a modern periodic table, one should keep in mind that the number
of shells present in an atom determines its period number. The elements of period one will have only
one shell, elements of period two will have two shells and so on. The first period of the
modern periodic table is the shortest period as it contains only two elements.

The period number two and three consist of eight elements each and are known as short groups.
Period four and five have eighteen elements and are known as the long group. In the modern
periodic table, group number 3 of period six contains the lanthanide series which are the rare earth
elements. We have radioactive elements (actinides) present in group 3 of period seven.

So we have seen the properties of the modern periodic table. To learn more about the periodic table
and other concepts of chemistry, register with BYJU’S.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

Which elements belong to group 15 of the modern periodic table?

In the modern periodic table of elements, the following fall under group 15:

 Nitrogen (N)
 Phosphorus (P)
 Arsenic (As)
 Antimony (Sb)
 Bismuth (Bi)
These elements are collectively referred to as the pnictogens (or the nitrogen family).

What trends in electronegativity can be seen in the modern periodic table of

elements?
In the modern periodic table, the electronegativity of elements increases across a period (row) and
decreases down a group (column). Therefore, the bottom-left most element (francium) is predicted
to have the lowest electronegativity and the top-right most element (fluorine) is predicted to have the
highest electronegativity. The noble gases are not considered since they are relatively inert).
How are the elements classified into different blocks in the modern periodic
table?
The modern periodic table of elements can be broken down into 4 blocks – the s-block, the p-block,
the d-block, and the f-block. This classification is based on the types of orbitals that contain the
valence electrons of the element. For example, s-block elements have valence electrons in s-orbitals
and d-block elements have their valence electrons in d-orbitals.

What are the f-block elements?

The f-block elements are the elements of the modern periodic table whose valence electrons lie in f-
orbitals. These elements can be broadly classified into two categories.

 The lanthanides – elements whose valence electrons lie in the 4f orbital.

 The actinides – elements whose valence electrons lie in the 5f orbital.

What are the trends in the atomic/ionic radii of elements in the modern periodic
table?
The atomic/ionic radii of elements increase while traversing down a group in the modern periodic
table due to the addition of new electron shells. The atomic radii of the elements generally decrease
across periods due to the increase in electronegativity and the increase in the effective nuclear
charge acting on the outermost shells.

What is an Element?
The chemical element read as follows:

a species of atoms all atoms with the same number of protons in the atomic
nucleus. A pure chemical substance composed of atoms with the same number
of protons in the atomic nucleus.
The question of the conceptual nature of the term “element” represents a rather unique opportunity
to examine the relationship that currently exists between chemists and philosophers of chemistry.

Chemical element was first presented by the English scientist Robert Boyle. He defined an element
as a substance “incapable of decomposition” and like a true scientist added the prophetic by any
means with which we are now acquainted. Boyle’s definition comes admirable close to present day
theory. Elements have been changed in the laboratories of today, though not by any chemical
means.

Related Topics
 Introduction to Elements & Compounds
 Periodic Table of Elements
 118 Elements and their Symbols
  Difference Between Element and Compound
 Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties
 Transition Elements

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Origin of the Elements

A young American chemist named [Link] state in 1873: “It is probable that the chemical
elements were originally developed by a process of evolution from much simpler forms of matter as
is indicated by the progressive chemical complexity observed in passing from the nebulae through
the hot stars to the cold planets.

Clarke attempted to prove his hypothesis by representing the relative abundance of the elements by
a curve taking their atomic weights for one set of ordinates. He has hoped that some sort of
periodicity might be evident but no such regularity appeared and no definite connection with the
periodic law seemed to be traceable.

Yet certain other regularities were worth noticing; all of the abundant elements were low in the scale
of atomic weight, reaching a maximum at 56 in iron. Above 56 the elements were comparatively rare,
and only two of them, barium and strontium appeared in clarkes estimates.

Geochemical Classification of the Elements

Goldschmidt stated that based on the existing data on the affinity of various elements for oxygen
and sulfur, we can obtain a geochemical classification of the elements. From the free energy of
formation of oxides combined with the free energy of formation of various elements with iron, he
drew up a list of elements which are concentrated in the iron phase of meteorites and probably also
in the supposed iron core of the earth. He called these elements siderophile elements or elements
tending to concentrate in metallic iron. Typical examples are nickel, cobalt and the metals of the
palladium and platinum groups.

A second group is formed by those elements which have a greater free energy of oxidation, per gram
of oxygen that iron. To these elements, Goldschmidt gave the name lithophile elements or elements
tending to concentrate in stony matter. They concentrate in the stony matter of the earth, as well as
in the stony matter of meteorites as oxides or silicates.

The third group is formed by elements concentrated in the sulfide phases of meteorites such as
troilite and Goldschmidt called them chalcophile elements. Elements which occur either in the
uncombined state such as oxygen nitrogen and rare gases etc. or volatile compounds. According to
Goldschmidt they are atmophile elements. Finally we can distinguish the biophilic elements which
are concentrated in and by living plants and animals.

Frequently Asked Questions on Element Definition

What does element mean?

An element is a substance whose atoms all have the same number of protons: another way of
saying this is that all atoms of a given element have the same number of atoms. Elements are the
simplest chemical elements and thus can not be broken down through chemical reactions.

What are the main elements?

The Five Base Elements are Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood. In a state of continuous interaction
and flux with each other these elements are known as different types of energy. Not only does The
Five Elements mean Fire, Earth, Water, Metal, and Wood. We also apply to motion, transition, and
growth.

What are the six elements of life?

While biomolecules contain more than 25 types of elements, six elements are most common. The
letters represent the chemical abbreviations of carbon , hydrogen , nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus ,
and sulfur.

Is water more powerful than fire?

Water is more powerful with life and, in my opinion and many others, giving back because, while it
can destroy, it houses many creatures and it needs almost everything in the world to survive. Fire is
seen as more deadly, though it also helps with life and life, even if it is a little less than water.

What are the 2 main types of elements?

This is also possible to classify the elements into two major classes, the metals and non-metals.
Metals usually have a translucent shiny sheen which is malleable, bendable and conducts electricity.
Typically, nonmetals do not exhibit these properties.