General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry: Atoms and Elements

These flashcards cover essential concepts from the lecture notes on the topic of elements, the periodic table, and atomic structure in chemistry.

Element

A pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances and from which all other things are built.

Chemical symbol

A representation of an element's name, consisting of one to two letters, with the first letter capitalized.

Periodic table

A table that organizes 118 elements into groups with similar properties in order of increasing atomic mass.

Valence electron

Electrons in the outermost energy level of an atom that determine its chemical properties.

Ionization energy

The energy required to remove an outermost electron from an atom.

Atomic radius

The distance from the nucleus to the outermost electron shell, which determines the size of an atom.

Isotope

Atoms of the same element that have different mass numbers due to differing numbers of neutrons.

Metals

Elements that are typically shiny, ductile, conduct heat and electricity, and are located on the left side of the periodic table.

Nonmetals

Elements that are generally dull, brittle, poor conductors of heat and electricity, located on the right side of the periodic table.

Metalloids

Elements that have properties of both metals and nonmetals, found along the zigzag line on the periodic table.

Atomic number

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

Mass number

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