ACTIVITY 1

1. ATOMIC STRUCTURE

The atom is the smallest particle of an element that take part in a chemical reaction. The atom is made up of three subatomic particles:

                (a) Protons

                (b) Electrons

                (c) Neutrons

(a) Protons

1. The proton is positively charged
2. Is found in the centre of an atom called nucleus
3. It has a relative mass 1
4. The number of protons in a atom of an element is its Atomic number

 (b) Electrons

1. The Electrons is negatively charged
2. Is found in fixed regions surrounding the centre of an atom called energy levels/orbitals.
3. It has a relative mass ¹/₁₈₄₀
4. The number of protons and electrons in a atom of an element is always equal

(c) Neutrons

1. The Neutron is neither positively nor negatively charged thus neutral.
2. Like protons it is found in the centre of an atom called nucleus
3. It has a relative mass 1
4. The number of protons and neutrons in a atom of an element is its Mass number

Diagram showing the relative positions of protons, electrons and neutrons in an atom of an element

 Diagram showing the relative positions of protons, electrons and neutrons in an atom of Carbon

 

 

The table below show atomic structure of the 1^st twenty elements.

Element	Symbol	Protons	Electrons	Neutrons	Atomic number	Mass number
Hydrogen	H	1	1	0	1	1
Helium	He	2	2	2	2	4
Lithium	Li	3	3	4	3	7
Beryllium	Be	4	4	5	4	9
Boron	B	5	5	6	5	11
Carbon	C	6	6	6	6	12
Nitrogen	N	7	7	7	7	14
Oxygen	O	8	8	8	8	16