Atomic Structure, Bonding, and Properties

Practice vocabulary flashcards covering atomic structure, periodic table trends for Groups 1, 7, and 8, and the characteristics of ionic and covalent bonding.

Henry Mosely

The scientist credited with arranging the Periodic Table.

Atomic number

The number that tells you how many protons an element contains.

Mass number

The total number of protons and neutrons in an atom.

Protons

Subatomic particles that have a positive charge.

Electrons

Subatomic particles that have a negative charge.

Neutrons

Subatomic particles that have no charge.

Density

The measure of the mass for a fixed volume of a substance, given using the unit $g/cm^3$.

Niels Bohr

The Danish scientist who, in 1913, developed the model where electrons move in different electron shells or energy levels.

Electronic structure

The arrangement of electrons in shells around the nucleus, often written as a sequence of numbers such as $2,8,1$.

Electrostatic forces

The forces that hold electrons in place in their electron shells.

Group 1

A column in the Periodic Table known as the alkali metals, which includes lithium, sodium, and potassium.

Metallic Bonding

The force by which a metal bonds to free electrons present in a metallic structure.

Group 7

A group in the Periodic Table known as the halogens, which includes fluorine, chlorine, and bromine.

Group 8

A group of inert, unreactive gases also known as the noble gases, including helium, neon, and argon.

Outermost electron shell

The electron shell with the highest energy level, located on the outside of the atom.

Ion

A charged particle formed when an atom loses or gains electrons to achieve stability.

Ionic bond

A chemical bond formed by the attraction between a positively charged ion and a negatively charged ion.

Covalent bond

A type of chemical bond where non-metal atoms share a pair of electrons.

Dot and cross diagram

A diagram used to represent covalent or ionic bonding, where electrons from different atoms are shown as either dots or crosses.

Molecule

A structure formed when atoms of non-metals join together by sharing electrons.

Lattice

A giant structure formed by ions in a regular pattern, such as the structure of sodium chloride.

Intermolecular forces

Weak forces that exist between simple molecules, requiring little energy to overcome.

Macromolecules

Large structures, such as diamond or silicon dioxide, also known as giant covalent structures.

Diamond

The hardest material on Earth, featuring a giant structure where each carbon atom forms four strong covalent bonds.

Graphite

A soft material made of carbon where each atom forms three bonds, creating layers that can easily slide over one another.