BSK 1113

GENERAL CHEMISTRY I

Chapter 2

Atom, Molecule & Ion

CONTENT OUTLINE:
2.1
2.2
s.
2.3
2.4

Atomic theory & structure.

Atomic number, mass number & isotope
Molecule & Ion compounds.
Nomenclature and chemical formula.

CHAPTER 2.1:

ATOMIC THEORY & STRUCTUTE

Introduction
ATOM:
Atoms are elements, they are simply the smallest
particle of an element that can be identified as
that element.

Defining the atom

The Greek philosopher Democritus (460 B.C. 370 B.C.) was

among the first to suggest the existence of atoms (from the Gr
eek word atomos)
He

believed that atoms were indivisible and indestructible

His ideas did agree with later scientific theory, but did not e
xplain chemical behavior, and was not based on the scientif
ic method but just philosophy

Daltons Atomic Theory (experiment based)

1. All elements are composed of tiny indivisible

particles called atoms

John Dalton (1766 1844)

2. Atoms of the same element are identical.

Atoms of any one element are different from
those of any other element.

3. Atoms of different elements combine in simple whole-number

ratios to form chemical compounds
4. In chemical reactions, atoms are combined, separated, or
rearranged but never changed into atoms of another
element.

EXAMPLE 1: ATOM

ATOMS result from the

repeated division of matter
to very tiny, permanent,
indivisible, invisible bits of
matter with definite size and
shape.
The final division of matter
such as graphite results in
atoms of the element
carbon.

References: www.elmhurst.edu/chm/vchembook/101Aatoms.html

EXAMPLE 2: ATOMS

Atoms are made up of a cloud of electrons which have a negative electrical

charge and a nucleus in the centre of the electrons. The nucleus is made up of
protons with a positive electrical charge and neutrons which have no charge.
References: www.eskom.co.za/nuclear_energy/fuel/fuel.html

EXAMPLE 3: ATOMS

References: www.chem4kids.com/files/atom_structure.html

MOLECULES

References: faculty.colostate-pueblo.edu/.../111/2a.html

MOLECULES
A molecule (from Latin moles "mass") is an
electrically neutral group of two or more
atoms held together by chemical bonds.
Molecules are distinguished from ions by
their lack of electrical charge.
Example:
Ethanol
Benzene
Benzoic acid

C2H5OH
C6H6
C6H5CO2H

Example:
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Carbondioxide
Sulfurdioxide
Sodium chloride

O2
N2
CO2
SO2
NaCl

Made up of atoms or molecules.

ATOMS:

MOLECULES:

Atoms are elements, they

are simply the smallest
particle of an element that
can be identified as that
element.

Molecules are formed

from chemical
combinations of atoms.

Atoms are composed of

pieces like neutrons,
electrons, and protons.
Example: Carbon (C)

Example: Water (H2O)

ATOMIC NUMBER, MASS NUMBER

& ISOTOPES

ATOMIC NUMBER

Represented by the letter Z.

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.

MASS NUMBER

Represented by the letter A.

The total number of protons and neutrons in the

atomic nucleus of an atom.

Chemical Symbols
The complete symbol of an element contains the symbol
of the element, the mass number (A) and the atomic
number (Z).

Atomic Mass
It is not a whole number because it is an
average.
Atomic Masses are the decimal numbers
on the periodic table.

Isotopes
Atoms of the same element can have different numb
ers of neutrons thus different mass numbers.

carbon-12

12
C
6

Chlorine

37
35
C
Cl
1
1
7
7

13
C
6

Exercise 1:
Find the
number of protons
number of neutrons
number of electrons
Atomic number
Mass Number

79

Br
35
81

Br
35

Exercise 2:
If an element has an atomic number of 47
(Silver, Ag) and a mass number of 108 what's
are the:

Number of protons
Number of neutrons
Number of electrons
Symbol
Complete symbol

Exercise 3:
If an element has 94 (Plutonium, Pu) protons
and 150 neutrons what's are the:

Atomic number
Mass number
Number of electrons
Symbol
Complete symbol

Exercise 4:
If an element has 78 (Platinum, Pt) electrons
and 117 neutrons what's are the:

Atomic number
Mass number
Number of protons
Symbol
Complete symbol

Molecule and Ion Compounds

A molecule is an aggregate of two or more atoms in a

definite arrangement held together by chemical
bonds.

H2

H2O

NH3

CH4

A diatomic molecule contains only two atoms.

H2, N2, O2, Br2, HCl, CO

A polyatomic molecule contains more than two atoms.

O3, H2O, NH3, CH4

An ion is an atom, or group of atoms, that has a net

positive or negative charge.
cation ion with a positive charge
If a neutral atom loses one or more electrons
it becomes a cation.

Na

11 protons
11 electrons

Na+

11 protons
10 electrons

anion ion with a negative charge

If a neutral atom gains one or more electrons
it becomes an anion.

Cl

17 protons
17 electrons

Cl-

17 protons
18 electrons

A monatomic ion contains only one atom.

Na+, Cl-, Ca2+, O2-, Al3+, N3-

A polyatomic ion contains more than one atom.

OH-, CN-, NH4+, NO3-

Do You Understand Ions?

27 3+ ?
How many protons and electrons are in Al
13
13 protons, 10 (13 3) electrons
78 2- ?
How many protons and electrons are in Se
34
34 protons, 36 (34 + 2) electrons

Nomenclature and Chemical Formula

A molecular formula shows the exact number of

atoms of each element in the smallest unit of a
substance.
An empirical formula shows the simplest wholenumber ratio of the atoms in a substance.

molecular

empirical

H2O

H2O

C6H12O6

CH2O

O3

N2H4

NH2

Ionic compounds consist of a cation and an anion.

The formula is always the same as the empirical
formula
The sum of the charges on the cation and anion
in each formula unit must equal zero
The ionic compound NaCl

Formula of Ionic Compounds

2 x +3 = +6
Al

3+

3 x -2 = -6
Al2O3

1 x +2 = +2
Ca2+

CaBr2

O2-

2 x -1 = -2
Br-

SOME POLYATOMIC IONS (TABLE 2.3)

Chemical Nomenclature
Ionic

Compounds
often a metal + nonmetal
anion (nonmetal), add ide to element name

BaCl2

barium chloride

K2O

potassium oxide

Mg(OH)2

magnesium hydroxide

KNO3

potassium nitrate

 Transition
indicate

metal ionic compounds

charge on metal with Roman numerals

FeCl2

2 Cl- -2 so Fe is +2

iron(II) chloride

FeCl3

3 Cl- -3 so Fe is +3

iron(III) chloride

Cr2S3 3 S-2 -6 so Cr is +3 (6/2) chromium(III) sulfide

Molecular Compounds
HI

hydrogen iodide

NF3

nitrogen trifluoride

SO2

sulfur dioxide

N2Cl4

dinitrogen tetrachloride

NO2

nitrogen dioxide

N2O

dinitrogen monoxide

LEARNING OUTCOME:
At the end of this chapter, the student should be able t
o:

Describe the atomic theory.

Explain the Daltons atomic theory.
Describe the atom structure.
Identify 3 types of subatomic particles.

REFERENCES

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matter

Raymond Chang (2008). General Chemistry: The Essen

tial Concepts, (5ed). McGraw Hill.