General, Organic, & Biological Chemistry - Chapter 3: Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to atomic structure and the periodic table as discussed in Chapter 3.

Subatomic Particle

Minute particle that is a building block for atoms.

Electron

A subatomic particle with a negative electrical charge, found outside the nucleus.

Proton

A positively charged subatomic particle found in the nucleus, equal in charge to an electron's negative charge.

Neutron

A subatomic particle that has no charge, also found in the nucleus.

Atomic Number (Z)

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.

Mass Number (A)

The sum of the number of protons and neutrons in an atom's nucleus.

Isotopes

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

Periodic Law

When elements are arranged in order of increasing atomic number, elements with similar chemical properties occur at periodic intervals.

Metal

An element characterized by luster, thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, and malleability.

Nonmetal

An element that is characterized by the absence of metallic properties.

Electron Shell

Region of space around a nucleus which contains electrons that have approximately the same energy.

Electron Configuration

A notation describing the distribution of electrons in an atom’s subshells.

Orbital Diagram

A visual representation showing the arrangement of electrons in an atom's orbitals.

Distinguishing Electron

The last electron added to the electron configuration of an element.

Groups of Elements

Vertical columns in the periodic table that contain elements with similar chemical properties due to the same number of valence electrons.

Periods of Elements

Horizontal rows of elements in the periodic table.

Semimetals/Metalloids

Elements along the dividing line between metals and nonmetals.

Atomic Mass Unit (amu)

A unit of mass used to express atomic and molecular weights; based on the mass of carbon-12.