Vocabulary Definitions (Atoms and Molecules)

Electromagnetic Force

The fundamental force responsible for the interactions between charged particles, governing electric and magnetic phenomena.

Subatomic Particle

Particles that are smaller than atoms, including protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Electrical Charge

A physical property of matter that causes it to experience a force in an electromagnetic field; can be positive or negative.

Sodium Chloride

A chemical compound made up of sodium and chlorine ions, commonly known as table salt.

Water Molecule

A molecule consisting of two hydrogen atoms covalently bonded to one oxygen atom, essential for life.

Periodic Table

A tabular arrangement of chemical elements, organized by increasing atomic number and grouped by similar properties.

Electron Cloud

The region around the nucleus of an atom where electrons are likely to be found, representing areas of probability rather than fixed paths.

Chemical Bond

The lasting attraction between atoms that enables the formation of chemical compounds; can be covalent or ionic.

Covalent Bond

A chemical bond formed by the sharing of electron pairs between atoms, typically occurring between nonmetals.

Nuclear Force

The strong force that holds protons and neutrons together in the nucleus, overcoming the repulsive forces between positively charged protons.

Atomic Theory

The scientific theory that matter is composed of atoms, which are indivisible and the basic units of chemical elements.

Energy Level

The fixed energy states of electrons in an atom, indicating the distance of electrons from the nucleus.

Oxygen Atom

An atom essential for respiration, characterized by having eight protons in its nucleus.

Noble Gases

A group of chemical elements in Group 18 of the periodic table that are characterized by their lack of reactivity and full valence electron shells.

Atomic Mass

The mass of an atom, typically expressed in atomic mass units (amu), representing the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.

Ionic Bond

A chemical bond formed by the transfer of electrons from one atom to another, resulting in the attraction between oppositely charged ions.

Bohr Model

A model of the atom proposed by Niels Bohr, depicting electrons as orbiting the nucleus in fixed paths or energy levels.

Hydrogen

The simplest and most abundant element in the universe, characterized by having one proton and one electron.

Elements

Pure substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means; they consist of only one type of atom.

Orbitals

Regions within an atom where there is a high probability of finding electrons, defined by quantum mechanics.

Electron

A negatively charged subatomic particle that orbits the nucleus of an atom, playing a key role in chemical bonding and electricity.

Isotope

Atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons, resulting in different atomic masses.

Nucleus

The central part of an atom that contains protons and neutrons, which holds most of the atom's mass.

Neutron

A neutral subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom, contributing to the atomic mass.

Matter

Anything that has mass and occupies space, including solids, liquids, gases, and plasma.

Carbon

A versatile non-metal element with atomic number 6, fundamental to all known life forms and the basis of organic chemistry.

Proton

A positively charged subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom, determining the element's identity and its atomic number.

Quark

A fundamental particle that makes up protons and neutrons, which are the constituents of atomic nuclei.

Neon

A noble gas with atomic number 10, known for being colorless, odorless, and inert under most conditions.

Ion

An atom that has gained or lost one or more electrons, resulting in a net electrical charge (positive for cations and negative for anions).