LIFEF002 Atomic and Electronic Structure

These flashcards cover key concepts in atomic and electronic structure, focusing on atomic composition, mass spectrometry, and isotopes.

Atomic Structure

The arrangement of protons, neutrons, and electrons in an atom.

Isotope

Atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

Mass Spectrometry

A technique used to determine the masses of ions by measuring their mass-to-charge ratios.

Mass Number

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

Proton (Atomic) Number

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which determines the element.

Relative Atomic Mass (Ar)

The average mass of one atom of an element relative to 1/12 of the mass of carbon-12.

Fractional Mass Number

The mass number that can be a fraction due to the averaging of isotopic masses based on their relative abundance.

Relative Isotopic Mass

The mass of a specific isotope expressed relative to the mass of carbon-12.

Mass-to-Charge Ratio

A measurement used in mass spectrometry to separate ions based on their mass and charge.

Abundance

The relative quantity of a particular isotope in a mixture.

Neutral Atom

An atom with an equal number of protons and electrons, resulting in no net charge.

Sub-Atomic Particles

Particles that make up an atom, which include protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Ion

An atom or molecule with a net electric charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons.

Atomic Mass Unit (amu)

A unit of mass used to express atomic and molecular weights.

Mass Spectrum

A graphical representation of the masses of ions, used in mass spectrometry.

Element Identity

Determined by the atomic number, which is defined by the number of protons.

Electron

A negatively charged sub-atomic particle with a negligible mass.

Neutron

A neutral sub-atomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom, with a mass of approximately 1 amu.

Proton

A positively charged sub-atomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom, with a mass of approximately 1 amu.