Chemistry Unit Test Review: Atomic Theory and the Periodic Table

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering atomic history, subatomic particles, periodic trends, chemical formulas, and atomic structure review topics.

Dalton

Scientist associated with early atomic theory and the solid sphere model of the atom ($O$).

Thompson

Scientist credited with the discovery of the electron ($e$).

Rutherford

Scientist credited with discovering the atomic nucleus and the proton ($P$).

Chadwick

Scientist credited with the discovery of the neutron ($N$).

Bohr

Scientist who proposed quantized electron orbits/shells, which are used to construct Bohr-Rutherford diagrams.

B-R diagram

A Bohr-Rutherford diagram; a visual model showing the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus surrounded by electrons placed in specific energy shells.

P / N / E

Protons, neutrons, and electrons; the three primary subatomic particles calculated and represented when analyzing an atom.

Period vs. group

A period is a horizontal row on the periodic table indicating the number of electron shells, while a group is a vertical column containing elements with the same number of valence electrons and similar chemical behaviors.

Chemical family

A group (vertical column) on the periodic table whose elements share characteristic chemical properties and identical valence electron counts.

Valence shells and electrons

The outermost occupied energy level of an atom and the specific electrons located within it, which govern chemical bonding and reactivity.

Metals, non-metals, and metalloids

The three broad categories of elements classified on the periodic table by their distinct physical and chemical properties.

Reading a compound: $Al(NO_3)_3$

Determining the identity and quantity of each element in a formula; $Al(NO_3)_3$ consists of $1$ aluminum atom, $3$ nitrogen atoms, and $9$ oxygen atoms.

Lose/gain electron

The process by which neutral atoms transfer electrons to achieve a full, stable outer valence shell, forming positive or negative ions.

Reactivity

The chemical tendency of an element to undergo a reaction, largely determined by how readily it can lose or gain valence electrons.