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Document of Structure of Atom

The atom consists of a central nucleus surrounded by an electron cloud. The nucleus contains protons and neutrons, while electrons orbit in specific energy levels or shells around the nucleus. Electrons fill these shells according to the Aufbau principle, with the lowest shells filling first before higher ones. The number of protons determines the element, while the total protons and neutrons give the mass number. Atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons, forming isotopes.

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88 views2 pages

Document of Structure of Atom

The atom consists of a central nucleus surrounded by an electron cloud. The nucleus contains protons and neutrons, while electrons orbit in specific energy levels or shells around the nucleus. Electrons fill these shells according to the Aufbau principle, with the lowest shells filling first before higher ones. The number of protons determines the element, while the total protons and neutrons give the mass number. Atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons, forming isotopes.

Uploaded by

Arhanti Arya
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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STRUCTURE OF ATOM

Here are some important points about the structure of an atom:

1. Atomic Nucleus: The atom consists of a central region called the nucleus. The
nucleus is composed of protons and neutrons. Protons carry a positive charge,
while neutrons are neutral.
2. Electron Cloud: Surrounding the nucleus is an electron cloud, which contains
electrons. Electrons are negatively charged particles that orbit the nucleus in
specific energy levels or shells.
3. Energy Levels or Shells: Electrons occupy different energy levels or shells
around the nucleus. These energy levels are labeled as K, L, M, N, and so on,
starting from the innermost shell (K). The inner shells have lower energy levels,
while the outer shells have higher energy levels.
4. Electron Orbitals: Each energy level is further divided into sub-levels called
orbitals. Orbitals define the probability of finding an electron in a particular
region around the nucleus. The types of orbitals include s, p, d, and f orbitals,
each with a specific shape.

5. Electron Distribution: The distribution of electrons in the energy levels and


orbitals follows the Aufbau principle, which states that electrons fill the lowest
available energy levels first before occupying higher energy levels.
STRUCTURE OF ATOM

6. Atomic Number: The atomic number (Z) of an atom corresponds to the


number of protons in the nucleus. It determines the element's identity. For
example, an atom with six protons is carbon (Z = 6).
7. Mass Number: The mass number (A) of an atom is the sum of protons and
neutrons in the nucleus. It represents the total number of nucleons (protons
and neutrons) in an atom.
8. Isotopes: Atoms of the same element can have different numbers of neutrons,
leading to different isotopes. Isotopes have the same atomic number but
different mass numbers. For example, carbon-12 and carbon-14 are isotopes
of carbon.
9. Electron Configuration: The arrangement of electrons in the energy levels and
orbitals is described by the electron configuration. It follows a specific
notation, such as 1s² 2s² 2p⁶, where the numbers and letters represent the
energy levels and orbitals.
10. Valence Electrons: Valence electrons are the electrons present in the
outermost energy level of an atom. They play a crucial role in chemical
bonding and determining the atom's reactivity.

Understanding the structure of an atom is essential for comprehending various


topics in chemistry and physics, such as chemical bonding, periodic trends, and the
behavior of matter at the atomic level.

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