BUILDANATOM

PARTI:ATOMSCREEN

1.

2.

BuildanAtomsimulation
(
http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/buildanatom
)
Explorethe
BuildanAtom
simulation.Ifyoureworkingwithsomeone,talkabout
whatyoufindanddetermine.

a) Listtwothingsyouobservedinthesimulation.
Thenumberofprotonsdetermineswhattheelementis
Youdontneedequalamountsofprotons,neutrons,andelectronstocreatean
atom

b) Whatparticle(s)arefoundinthecenteroftheatom?
Protons
Neutrons

3.

Playuntilyoudiscoverwhich
particle(s)
determine(s)thenameofthe
element
you
build.Whatdidyoudiscover?

Thenumberofprotonsdeterminestheelementyoubuild.Ifthereisoneprotonitis
thenumberoneelementontheperiodictable.Iftheressevenprotons,itsnumberseven
elementontheperiodictable.

4. Whatisthe
name
ofthefollowingatoms?
a) Anatomwith3protonsand4neutrons:Lithium
b) Anatomwith2protonsand4neutrons:Helium
c) Anatomwith4protonsand4neutrons:Beryllium

5. Playwiththesimulationtodiscoverwhichparticlesaffectthe
charge
ofanatomor
ion.
a) Fillintheblanksbelowtoshowyourresults:

Neutralatomshave
thesamenumberof
protonsandelectrons.
Positiveionshave
more
protonsthanelectrons.
Negativeionshave
less
protonsthanelectrons.
b) Developarelationship(intheformofasinglesentenceorequation)thatcan
predictthechargebasedonthenumberandtypesofparticle.

Protonsalwayshaveapositivecharge,electronsalwayshaveanegativecharge.

6.

7.

Playwiththesimulationtodiscoverwhataffectsthe
mass
numberofyouratomorion.
Whatisarulefordeterminingthemassnumberofanatomorion?
Themassnumberisthenumberofprotonsandneutronsaddedtogether.
m=p+n

st
nd
Practiceapplyingyourunderstandingbyplaying1
and2
levelsonthegamescreen.

PARTII:SYMBOLSCREEN

8.

Usingthe
Symbol
readoutboxatthebottomofthescreen,figureout
whichparticles
affecteachcomponentoftheatomicsymbol.
a) Intheatomicsymbolbelow,labeleachletter(
a
,
b
,
c
,and
d
)with:
the
particle(s)
usedtodeterminetheletter,and
how
thevalueofeachletterisdetermined.

A
Usesprotons
Numberofprotonsdetermineswhatelement
Elementisshownwithinafewletters
B
Usesprotons/electrons
Numberofextraprotons/electronsdetermines
C
Usesprotons
Numberofprotons
D
Usesprotons/neutrons
Massnumber(numberofprotonsandneutronscombined)

9.

Createadefinition(usingacompletesentence)foreachoftheseitemsbasedonyour
labelsfromtheatomicsymbolabove.

a) ElementSymbol
Ashortenedversionoftheelementname.

b) Charge
Thenumberofextraprotonsorelectrons.

c) AtomicNumber
Thenumberofprotonsthatdefineswhatelementitis.

d) MassNumber
Thenumberofprotonsandneutronscombined.

rd
th
10. Practiceapplyingyourunderstandingbyplayingthe3
and4
gamelevels.Playuntil
th
youcangetallthequestionscorrectonthe4level.

11. Inadditiontoatomicsymbol,wecanrepresentatomsbynameandmassnumber.
a) Completethetablebelow:

Symbol
Name

Carbon-12

Fluorine18

Boron11

b) Eachrepresentation(SymbolandName)inthetableaboveprovidesinformation
abouttheatom.Describethesimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweenthe
Symbol
and
Name

representations.
Similarities
Bothhavesomewayofshowingthenameoftheelementandbothhavethemass
Differences
Thenamedoesntshowthechargeortheelementnumber

PARTIII:ISOTOPES

12. Playwiththesimulationtodetermine:
a) Whichparticlesaffectthestabilityoftheatom?
Protonsandneutrons
b) Whichparticlesdonotaffectthestabilityoftheatom?
Electrons

13. Whatarethenamesofthestableformsofoxygen?
a) Oxygen16
b) Oxygen17
c) Oxygen18

d) Listallofthethingsthatarethesameabouttheseatoms(ignoretheelectrons).
Theyareallhave8protons
Theyallhaveatleast8neutrons
Allarestable

e) Listallofthethingsthataredifferentabouttheseatoms(ignoretheelectrons).
Differentnumberofprotons

14. Theatomsinthepreviousquestionare
isotopes
ofeachother.Basedonthis
information,listtherequirementsfortwoatomstobeisotopesofeachother.
Atomsneedmoreorlessneutronsbutstillhastobethesameelement

15. Testyourunderstandingofisotopesbyexaminingtherelationshipsbetweenthepairs
ofatomslistedbelow:

Atom1
Atom2
Relationshipbetweenatom1andatom2

Isotopes

Carbon12
Argon40

Anatomwith
13protonsand
13neutrons

SameAtom,NotIsotopesofEachOther

Argon41

Isotopes
Isotopes

Boron10
Anatomwith14
protonsand13
neutrons

DifferentElement

EXERCISES
16. Theperiodictablehasagreatdealofinformationabouteveryatom.Usingyour
periodictable,answerthefollowingquestions:

a) Whatistheatomicnumberofchlorine(Cl)?17

b) Whatistheatomicnumberoftungsten(W)?74

c) HowmanyprotonsarethereinanyClatom?17

d) HowmanyprotonsarethereinanyTeatom?52

e) Canyoutellfromtheperiodictableexactlyhowmanyneutronsareinanatom?
No,thereisanestimategivenbutyoucantknowforsure.

17. Completethefollowingtable:
Atomic
Mass
Numberof Numberof
Name
Symbol
Charge
number Number
neutrons
Electrons
2
hydrogen2
H
1
2
1
1
0
hydrogen3

sodium33

33 +

11

33

22

10

+1

24

12

24

12

12

magnesium24
magnesium25

Na
Mg

25

12

25

13

13

69 2

22

69

47

24

silver154

154

47

154

107

47

fluorine28

281

28

19

10

carbon12

12

12

carbon13

13

13

carbon14

14

14

carbon12

121

12

carbon12

12+1

12

+1

He

oxygen16

16 2

16

10

argon40

57

18

57

39

18

70

31

100

69

31

titanium69

helium4

gallium70

1
Mg

Ti
Ag

F
C

C
O
Ar

Ga

gallium70

70 +3

31

100

69

28

+3

beryllium9

Be

+2

nitrogen15

15 1

15

Ga
N


18. Totestyourknowledgeofisotopes,drawarrowsbetweenallpairsofatomsinthe
tableabovethatareisotopesofeachother.

BUILDANATOM

PARTI:ATOMSCREEN

1.

2.

BuildanAtomsimulation
(
http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/buildanatom
)
Explorethe
BuildanAtom
simulation.Ifyoureworkingwithsomeone,talkabout
whatyoufindanddetermine.

a) Listtwothingsyouobservedinthesimulation.
Thenumberofprotonsdetermineswhattheelementis
Youdontneedequalamountsofprotons,neutrons,andelectronstocreatean
atom

b) Whatparticle(s)arefoundinthecenteroftheatom?
Protons
Neutrons

3.

Playuntilyoudiscoverwhich
particle(s)
determine(s)thenameofthe
element
you
build.Whatdidyoudiscover?

Thenumberofprotonsdeterminestheelementyoubuild.Ifthereisoneprotonitis
thenumberoneelementontheperiodictable.Iftheressevenprotons,itsnumberseven
elementontheperiodictable.

4. Whatisthe
name
ofthefollowingatoms?
a) Anatomwith3protonsand4neutrons:Lithium
b) Anatomwith2protonsand4neutrons:Helium
c) Anatomwith4protonsand4neutrons:Beryllium

5. Playwiththesimulationtodiscoverwhichparticlesaffectthe
charge
ofanatomor
ion.
a) Fillintheblanksbelowtoshowyourresults:

Neutralatomshave
thesamenumberof
protonsandelectrons.
Positiveionshave
more
protonsthanelectrons.
Negativeionshave
less
protonsthanelectrons.
b) Developarelationship(intheformofasinglesentenceorequation)thatcan

predictthechargebasedonthenumberandtypesofparticle.

Protonsalwayshaveapositivecharge,electronsalwayshaveanegativecharge.

6.

7.

Playwiththesimulationtodiscoverwhataffectsthe
mass
numberofyouratomorion.
Whatisarulefordeterminingthemassnumberofanatomorion?
Themassnumberisthenumberofprotonsandneutronsaddedtogether.
m=p+n

st
nd
Practiceapplyingyourunderstandingbyplaying1
and2
levelsonthegamescreen.

PARTII:SYMBOLSCREEN

8.

Usingthe
Symbol
readoutboxatthebottomofthescreen,figureout
whichparticles
affecteachcomponentoftheatomicsymbol.
a) Intheatomicsymbolbelow,labeleachletter(
a
,
b
,
c
,and
d
)with:
the
particle(s)
usedtodeterminetheletter,and
how
thevalueofeachletterisdetermined.

A
Usesprotons
Numberofprotonsdetermineswhatelement
Elementisshownwithinafewletters
B
Usesprotons/electrons
Numberofextraprotons/electronsdetermines
C
Usesprotons
Numberofprotons
D
Usesprotons/neutrons
Massnumber(numberofprotonsandneutronscombined)

9.

Createadefinition(usingacompletesentence)foreachoftheseitemsbasedonyour
labelsfromtheatomicsymbolabove.

a) ElementSymbol
Ashortenedversionoftheelementname.

b) Charge
Thenumberofextraprotonsorelectrons.

c) AtomicNumber
Thenumberofprotonsthatdefineswhatelementitis.

d) MassNumber
Thenumberofprotonsandneutronscombined.

rd
th
10. Practiceapplyingyourunderstandingbyplayingthe3
and4
gamelevels.Playuntil
th
youcangetallthequestionscorrectonthe4level.

11. Inadditiontoatomicsymbol,wecanrepresentatomsbynameandmassnumber.
a) Completethetablebelow:

Symbol
Name

Carbon-12

Fluorine18

Boron11

b) Eachrepresentation(SymbolandName)inthetableaboveprovidesinformation
abouttheatom.Describethesimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweenthe
Symbol
and
Name

representations.
Similarities
Bothhavesomewayofshowingthenameoftheelementandbothhavethemass
Differences
Thenamedoesntshowthechargeortheelementnumber

PARTIII:ISOTOPES

12. Playwiththesimulationtodetermine:
a) Whichparticlesaffectthestabilityoftheatom?
Protonsandneutrons
b) Whichparticlesdonotaffectthestabilityoftheatom?
Electrons

13. Whatarethenamesofthestableformsofoxygen?
a) Oxygen16
b) Oxygen17
c) Oxygen18

d) Listallofthethingsthatarethesameabouttheseatoms(ignoretheelectrons).
Theyareallhave8protons
Theyallhaveatleast8neutrons
Allarestable

e) Listallofthethingsthataredifferentabouttheseatoms(ignoretheelectrons).
Differentnumberofprotons

14. Theatomsinthepreviousquestionare
isotopes
ofeachother.Basedonthis
information,listtherequirementsfortwoatomstobeisotopesofeachother.
Atomsneedmoreorlessneutronsbutstillhastobethesameelement

15. Testyourunderstandingofisotopesbyexaminingtherelationshipsbetweenthepairs
ofatomslistedbelow:

Atom1
Atom2
Relationshipbetweenatom1andatom2

Isotopes

Carbon12
Argon40

Anatomwith
13protonsand
13neutrons

SameAtom,NotIsotopesofEachOther

Argon41

Isotopes
Isotopes

Boron10
Anatomwith14
protonsand13
neutrons

DifferentElement

EXERCISES
16. Theperiodictablehasagreatdealofinformationabouteveryatom.Usingyour
periodictable,answerthefollowingquestions:

a) Whatistheatomicnumberofchlorine(Cl)?17

b) Whatistheatomicnumberoftungsten(W)?74

c) HowmanyprotonsarethereinanyClatom?17

d) HowmanyprotonsarethereinanyTeatom?52

e) Canyoutellfromtheperiodictableexactlyhowmanyneutronsareinanatom?
No,thereisanestimategivenbutyoucantknowforsure.

17. Completethefollowingtable:
Atomic
Mass
Numberof Numberof
Name
Symbol
Charge
number Number
neutrons
Electrons
2
hydrogen2
H
1
2
1
1
0
hydrogen3

sodium33

33 +

11

33

22

10

+1

24

12

24

12

12

magnesium24
magnesium25

Na
Mg

25

12

25

13

13

69 2

22

69

47

24

silver154

154

47

154

107

47

fluorine28

281

28

19

10

carbon12

12

12

carbon13

13

13

carbon14

14

14

carbon12

121

12

carbon12

12+1

12

+1

He

oxygen16

16 2

16

10

argon40

57

18

57

39

18

70

31

100

69

31

titanium69

helium4

gallium70

1
Mg

Ti
Ag

F
C

C
O
Ar

Ga

gallium70

70 +3

31

100

69

28

+3

beryllium9

Be

+2

nitrogen15

15 1

15

Ga
N


18. Totestyourknowledgeofisotopes,drawarrowsbetweenallpairsofatomsinthe
tableabovethatareisotopesofeachother.