atomic structure and atomic mass

what are @@isotopes@@

atoms of an element with the @@same atomic number@@ but @@different mass number@@

what is @@radioactivity@@

the @@spontaneous disintegration@@ of an @@unstable nucleus@@ leading to the __**emission of** @@**radiation**@@__

what is a @@radioisotope@@

isotopes with @@unstable nuclei@@ (too heavy/too much energy) and they @@decay@@ by @@emitting radiation to stabilise@@

the @@stability@@ of an isotope…

depends on the @@ratio@@ of @@neutrons@@ to @@protons@@ in its nucleus

what is @@alpha decay@@

radioisotope decays to produce a helium nuclei

occurs in @@elements@@ with an __atomic number__ @@above 83@@

what is the @@alpha decay equation@@ (3)

1. @@radioisotope@@ decaying on the @@reactant@@
2. write a @@helium nuclei@@ on the @@product@@ side
3. @@stable isotope@@ that forms after decay on the @@product@@ side


1. - 2 protons from protons on radioisotope, find element with same atomic number
2. - 4 from mass number of the radioisotope

what is @@beta decay@@

radioisotope decays to produce an @@electron@@ particle and a @@stable@@ isotope

what is the @@beta decay equation@@ (3)

1. @@radioisotope@@ decaying on the @@reactant@@
2. @@beta particle@@ on the @@product@@ side
3. @@stable isotope@@ that forms


1. + 1 proton to radioisotope, find element with same atomic number
2. mass stays the same

what is @@gamma decay@@

@@emitted@@ with @@alpha or beta radiation@@ to remove @@excess@@ energy when __particles in the nucleus get rearranged__

what is the @@gamma decay equation@@ (3)

1. @@gamma symbol@@
2. 0 mass number
3. 0 atomic number

what is a @@transuranic@@ element

elements with an @@atomic number@@ greater than @@92@@ that need to be produced @@synthetically@@ through **particle accelerators and nuclear reactors**

what is @@mass spectrometry@@ used for

determine the @@relative isotopic mass@@ relative to @@carbon-12@@ and the @@relative abundance@@ for each isotope

what are the @@stages of mass spectrometry@@ (1-4)

1. __**ionisation**__: @@knocking@@ one or more @@electrons@@ to give a @@positive ion@@
2. __**acceleration**__: ions @@accelerate@@ to the @@same kinetic energy@@
3. __**deflection**__: ions @@deflected@@ by a @@magnetic@@ field according to mass *(more charge = more deflection)*
4. __**detection**__: beam of @@ions@@ detected @@electrically@@

what is @@relative atomic mass@@

@@average mass@@ of an atom\*12 __divided by__ @@mass@@ of one @@atom@@ of @@carbon-12@@

what is @@Bohr’s proposition@@ about @@electrons@@

electrons can only @@exist@@ in @@fixed@@ energy levels

what are the main @@energy levels@@ called

@@principal@@ energy levels (n)

what are @@energy levels within@@ an @@electron@@ called

@@subshells@@ known as __s(2), p(6), d(10), f(14)__

what happens when an @@electron@@ in its shell has @@too much energy@@

it moves @@up an energy level@@ into an @@**unstable**@@ **state** and @@drops@@ back to its @@original level@@ while __**releasing a** @@**photon of light**@@__

what is @@ionisation@@

atoms @@losing@@ or @@gaining electrons@@ to become @@ions@@

what are @@successive ionisation@@ energies

@@different@@ energy levels and the number of electrons in each level of an ion

what are the @@trends@@ of a @@successive ionisation@@ energy @@graph@@

1. @@increases@@ as @@electrons@@ are @@removed@@
2. @@large jumps@@ in __**graph**__ indicates @@where electrons@@ are being @@removed@@ **from** the @@next principal energy level@@

why is the @@4s subshell lower@@ than the @@3d subshell@@ even if it is in a **higher principal energy level**

because it is @@lower in energy@@ than the 3d subshell

what is the @@pauli exclusion principle@@

each @@orbital@@ may contain @@no more@@ than @@two electrons@@ with the spin property (*one up one down*)

what is a @@spin diagram@@

shows how @@orbitals@@ are @@filled@@

what is @@hund’s rule@@

@@single electrons@@ will occupy @@all empty orbitals@@ __**within a sub level**__ @@before@@ forming orbital @@pairs@@

what is @@aufbau’s@@ principle

@@lowest energy@@ sub-@@levels@@ are occupied @@first@@