T Level Science Chemistry Topic 1: Atoms, Ions and Compounds

Vocabulary flashcards covering fundamental concepts of atomic structure, mass spectrometry, and chemical nomenclature for T Level Science.

Atomic number

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.

Mass number

The total number of protons plus the number of neutrons in an atom.

Isotopes

Atoms of the same element with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.

Relative atomic mass ($A_r$)

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

Relative isotopic mass

The mass of an atom of an isotope relative to $1/12$ the mass of an atom of carbon-12.

Atomic ion

An atom that has lost or gained electrons, resulting in a positive or negative charge.

Electrospray ionisation

A process in mass spectrometry where a sample is injected through a capillary connected to a high voltage supply to produce positive ions ($M \rightarrow M^+ + e^-$).

Acceleration (in Mass Spectrometry)

The stage where ions are accelerated towards a negative terminal until they all have the same kinetic energy, defined by the formula $\frac{1}{2}mv^2$.

Ion drift

The stage in a TOF mass spectrometer where ions fly through a flight tube; lighter ions take a shorter time and heavier ions take a longer time.

m/z

The mass/charge ratio, which is recorded on the x-axis of a mass spectrum.

Molecular ions

Molecules that have a charge, also referred to as polyatomic ions.

Ammonium

A polyatomic ion with the formula $NH_4^+$.

Sulfate

A polyatomic ion with the formula $SO_4^{2-}$.

Carbonate

A polyatomic ion with the formula $CO_3^{2-}$.

Nitrate

A polyatomic ion with the formula $NO_3^-$.

Phosphate

A polyatomic ion with the formula $PO_4^{3-}$.

Transition metal naming

The use of a Roman numeral after the metal name to indicate the specific charge on the transition metal ion (e.g., iron(II) for $Fe^{2+}$).

Ionic formula

A representation showing the ratio of ions in a compound such that the total positive and negative charges balance to zero.