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Vocabulary flashcards covering subatomic particles, nucleus, atomic mass unit, elementary charge, atomic number, mass number, isotopes, ions (cations and anions), neutral atoms, ionic charges, and common element groups.
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Proton
Positively charged subatomic particle located in the nucleus; mass ≈ 1.007 amu; number of protons (Z) defines the element.
Neutron
Electrically neutral subatomic particle in the nucleus; mass ≈ 1.008 amu; adds to mass but does not change the element.
Electron
Negatively charged subatomic particle outside the nucleus; mass ≈ 0.0005486 amu; balances charge and drives chemical behavior.
Nucleus
Dense, positively charged center of an atom containing protons and neutrons.
Atomic Mass Unit (amu)
Unit of mass for atoms; 1 amu ≈ 1.6605×10^-24 g; roughly the mass of a proton or neutron; 1/12 the mass of a carbon-12 atom.
Elementary Charge (e)
Magnitude of the electric charge carried by a proton (positive) or electron (negative); e ≈ 1.602×10^-19 coulombs.
Atomic Number (Z)
Number of protons in the nucleus; determines the element's identity.
Mass Number (A)
Total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus; A = Z + N.
Isotope
Atoms of the same element (same Z) with different numbers of neutrons, giving different mass numbers.
Ion
Charged atom formed when electrons are gained or lost; positive ions are cations, negative ions are anions.
Cation
Positively charged ion formed when an atom loses electrons.
Anion
Negatively charged ion formed when an atom gains electrons.
Neutral Atom
An atom with equal numbers of protons and electrons; no net electric charge.
Ion Charge
Charge on an ion resulting from loss or gain of electrons; common states include +1, +2, and -1.
Alkali Metals
Group 1 metals that typically form +1 ions and are highly reactive.
Alkaline Earth Metals
Group 2 metals that typically form +2 ions.
Transition Metals
Metals in the d-block with multiple possible oxidation states, often forming +1, +2, or +3 ions.
Halogens
Group 17 nonmetals that typically form -1 ions when reacting.
Noble Gases
Group 18 elements that are inert and usually do not form ions; oxidation state effectively 0.