key terms for topic #3 atoms and bonding Microbiology

Atoms

The smallest particle of an element that can exist either alone or in combination

Proton

A positively charged subatomic particle found in the nucleus of all atoms

Electrons

A tiny negative particle that orbits the center of an atom and creates electricity, it is considered uncharged

Neutron

A subatomic particle located in the center of an atom that has no electrical charge in ways about the same as a proton

Element

All atoms with the same number of protons behave the same way, chemical, chemically or classified as the same element

Atomic mass number

The total number of protons and neutrons inside and atoms nucleus

Atomic symbol

A one or two letter abbreviation used to identify a specific chemical element

Neutral atom

An atom that has no net electrical charge because it contains an equal number of positive, protons and negative electrons

Isotopes

Versions of the same chemical element that have the same number of protons, but a different number of neutrons

Radioactive

Some isotopes are radioactive meaning they are unstable into K by releasing particles and energy

Atomic nucleus

The tiny dense central core of an atom that contains nearly all of its mass

valence shell

The outermost energy level or electron shell of an atom that contains electrons

Valence electrons

The electrons located in the outermost shell of an atom

Inert

Some atoms have a full balance show by themselves since a filled outer shell makes atoms content. They don’t need to interact with other atoms.

Reactive

A substance that easily undergoes chemical reactions to bond with other elements or compounds basically atoms with partially full valid shells that try to fill them by interacting with other atoms

Chemical bond

When reactive atoms interact with one another in a way that allows the atoms to achieve a full outer show. The interaction between the elements is called a chemical bond.

Ionic bond

A chemical bond form when one atom completely transfers, electrons to another atom, creating oppositely charge ions that attract each other

Ions

Atoms or molecules that have gained an electrical charge by losing or gaining electrons

Anions

Negative ions formed when an atom gains electrons (Ex. CL-)

Molecule

A group of two or more atoms that are chemically bonded together and act as a single neutral unit

Covalent bond

A chemical bond formed when two atoms share pairs of electrons to achieve stability

Non-polar covalent bond

A chemical bond that forms when two atoms share electrons perfectly equally

Polar covalent bond

A chemical bond that forms when two atoms share electrons unequally

Products

The final substances that are formed as a result of a chemical reaction, they are the end materials created after the starting ingredients called reactants undergo a chemical change

Reactants

The starting substances that go into a chemical reaction and change to form new materials

Oxidation reduction reactions

A chemical process where electrons are completely transferred from one substance to another

Oxidation

This is why an atom or molecule loses electrons during the reaction

Reduction

This is when an atom or molecule gains electrons reducing its overall electrical charge