Atomic Structures, Bohr Structures, Isotopes and Ions

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to atomic structures, Bohr structures, isotopes, and ions.

Anion

A negatively charged ion formed when an atom gains one or more electrons.

Cation

A positively charged ion formed when an atom loses one or more electrons.

Diatomic Molecules

Molecules composed of only two atoms, including the seven elemental diatomic molecules.

Energy Levels

Fixed distances from the nucleus of an atom where electrons reside, with each level holding a specific maximum number of electrons.

Ion

An atom or group of atoms that has a net positive or negative electric charge due to gaining or losing electrons.

Isotope

Atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.

Octet Rule

The concept that atoms tend to gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve a full outer shell of eight valence electrons.

Valence Electrons

The electrons located in the outermost energy level of an atom that participate in chemical bonding.

Atomic Number

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which defines the element's identity on the periodic table.

Atomic Mass

The total mass of an atom, equal to the combined number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus.

Average Atomic Mass

The weighted average mass of all naturally occurring isotopes of a given element.

Bohr Structure

A diagram showing an atom's central nucleus surrounded by electrons orbiting in specific, discrete energy levels.

Hyphen Notation

A method of representing an isotope by writing the element name or symbol followed by a hyphen and its mass number.

Nuclear Notation

A symbolic format that displays an element's chemical symbol alongside its mass number as a superscript and atomic number as a subscript.

Proton

A positively charged subatomic particle located in the nucleus of an atom.

Neutron

A neutral subatomic particle located in the nucleus of an atom with a mass approximately equal to a proton.

Electron

A negatively charged subatomic particle located in the energy levels surrounding the nucleus.