Chemistry and Atomic Structure Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering general chemistry definitions, subatomic particles, ions, isotopes, atomic mass concepts, and mass spectrometry based on the lecture notes.

Chemistry

The study of chemicals and matter, including composition, structure, properties/characteristics, functions/uses, chemical reactions/changes, and the laws governing them.

Atom

The basic constituent and smallest particle of matter, composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons, with a neutral charge when the number of protons and electrons are equal.

Quarks and Antiquarks

The particles that make up protons and neutrons inside the atom.

Proton

A positively charged particle found in the atom's nucleus with a mass of $1\,\text{amu}$ that identifies the atomic number and element identity, and affects atomic mass.

Neutron

A neutral particle found in the atom's nucleus with a mass of $1\,\text{amu}$ that affects the mass number (increasing mass by one for every neutron added) without affecting the atom's identity or net charge.

Electron

A negatively charged particle located in the rings of an atom with negligible mass that affects the net charge of the particle by decreasing it by one per electron.

Ion

A positively or negatively charged particle of matter formed when an atom gains or loses electrons during chemical reactions.

Cation

A positively charged ion.

Anion

A negatively charged ion.

Isotopes

Atoms of the same element having the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons, resulting in different mass numbers.

Mass Number

The sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom, which is always a whole number.

Atomic Mass

The weighted average mass of all the isotopes of an element derived from their relative abundance, which is always a fraction or decimal.

Isotope Symbols

Notation used to identify the subatomic particles (protons, neutrons, electrons) present in the nucleus and electron clouds of an atom or ion.

Mass Spectrometry

A technique in which atoms are turned into positive ions, accelerated, and deflected by an electric or magnetic field to generate a graph based on their mass-to-charge ratio ($m/z$).

Mass-to-Charge Ratio ($m/z$)

The ratio that determines particle deflection in mass spectrometry, where particles with a large $m/z$ value are deflected least and particles with a low $m/z$ value are deflected most.

Mass Spectrometer Components

An analytical instrument consisting of three main parts: an ion source, an analyzer, and a detector.

Ionization (Mass Spectrometry Step 1)

The process where gaseous atoms are bombarded by energy so that electrons are knocked off, supplying sufficient energy to form positive ions.

Acceleration (Mass Spectrometry Step 2)

The process where charged ions are accelerated by an electric field so that all ions possess the same kinetic energy.