ATOMIC

THEORY

Prepared by: Clairmont Taitt

Objectives

Student will be able to:

▪ Define related terms such as: atom, ion, free-
electrons, bound electrons, molecule, compound.

▪ State why specific elements (atoms) behave the way

they do.

▪ Differentiate between metals and non-metals

▪ Draw a labelled structure of atom given its atomic

number showing all shells and subshells
Guess you did the topic before in school

Why do we need to look at the atom?............

Do you think its relevant to the trade you’re

studying?

Stay a reason for your answer? …………….

Introduction Al

Atoms are the tiny building blocks of every Li

substance.
All matter is made up of Atoms.
Fe
Atoms cannot be seen by the naked eyes.
This word comes from the Greek word “Atomos"
meaning something that cannot be divided
further.
To really understand Electricity and Electronics,
We need to look at the Atom, especially the particle
in it called Electrons.
What is an Atom?

Smallest unit into which matter can be

divided that has the same characteristic
properties of the substance (element).

An atom is the smallest unit of matter that

retains all of the chemical properties of
an element.
Atomic structure

The structure of the atom as similar to our

solar system, the nucleus at the center just
like the sun and electrons orbit around the
nucleus like the planets around the sun.
consisting of three (3)sub-atomic particles
Electrons, Protons and Neutrons.
This nucleus contains positively (+) charged
protons and neutrons having neutral or no (0)
charge. The protons give the nucleus an overall
positive (+) charge..

Electrons are negatively (-) charge

 In an Atom:

Numbers of electrons = Numbers of protons Electrostatic force

an atom is electrically neutral

( positive charges cancel negative changes)

Each electron is attracted to a proton in

the nucleus by an electrostatic force.

This force holds the electrons inside their

orbits (shell) surrounding the smaller nucleus
If an electron experience a force of
greater influence it will escape its
orbit.

Electrons revolve around the nucleus in their

orbits at high speeds.

The physical and chemical property of any

substance is due to the natural
arrangement of its sub- atomic particles
within structure.
 Lithium is a soft grayish
metal having four(4)
Shell #1 neutrons, three (3) electrons
and three (3) protons hence
it atomic number is 3
Shell #2

Lithium symbol is

Mass number
(number of Protons + number of neutrons)

7
FIG.1. Diagram of a lithium (li) atom showing
sub-atomic particles configuration and 3
Li
shells Atomic number
(number of Protons or number of electrons)
 valence
The outermost electrons are called Shell
Valence electrons. These electrons
take part in chemical reaction and valence
electron
determine the behavior pattern of the
Atom (element).

In some atoms, these electrons can be

easily removed from their orbit, thus
escaping the structure of its atom,
therefore becoming free electrons and
travel at random throughout the
substance.
Good conductors contain many free Free
Electrons; insulators contain very few electron
or none. For this reason, metals are
very good conductors of Electricity
and Heat.

Bound
Electrons closer to the nucleus are electron
termed as bound electrons because
it’s harder for them to dislodge from
their orbits. The force of attraction with
paired proton is greater.
Shells and Subshells

Electrons revolve around the nucleus in shells at various distances

from the nucleus. Shells are further divided into subshells. The
shells are labelled 1 to 7 or K, L, M, N, O, P and Q; and subshells
given the letters s, p, d, and f.

The s subshell can hold a maximum of 2 electrons

The p subshell can hold a maximum of 6 electrons
The d subshell can hold a maximum of 10 electrons
The f subshell can hold a maximum of 14 electrons
The first shell (Shell #1) contains one (1) subshell: -1s
The second shell (Shell #2) contains two (2) subshells: - 2s, 2p
The third shell (Shell #3) contains three (3) subshells: - 3s, 3p and 3d
The fourth shell (Shell #4) contains four (4) subshell: - 4s, 4p, 4d and 4f
 Maximum electrons Maximum electrons in
Shell Sub-shell in sub-shell shell
1 1s 2 2
2 2s 2
2p 6 2+6 = 8
3s 2
3 3p 6 2+6+10 =18
3d 10
4s 2
4 4p 6 2+6+10+14 = 32

4d 10
4f 14

Table showing the maximum number of electrons

accommodated by shell and subshells
 Subshell 3s - 1 electron
Total= 1 remaining
3s Shell #3 electron

2p
2s
Subshell 2s – 2 electrons
1s Subshell 2p - 6 electrons
Shell #2
Total= 8 electrons
N

Subshell 1s – 2 electrons
Shell #1 Total= 2 electrons

Sodium (Na) – Atomic number =11

DIAGRAM OF A SODIUM (Na) ATOM SHOWING SUB-ATOMIC

PARTICLES, SHELLS AND SUBSHELLS
The atom above (the sodium atom) can be represented by
subshell notation, as:

1s2 , 2s2, 2p6 , 3s1

1st shell 2nd shell 3rd shell

Total electrons = 2 +2+6+1 = 11 electrons

Copper Atomic # 29

Atomic structure of copper (Cu) showing shells and subshells

The atom above (the copper atom) can be represented
by subshell notation, as:

1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 3d10, 4s1

1st shell 2nd shell 3rd shell 4th shell

 Element

An element is a substance made up exclusively

of atoms with the same atomic number.

The behavior of an element is related to the

number of electrons and their arrangement
around the nucleus.

There are over a 100 different elements have

been discovered.

Scientists have arranged all the elements according to their

properties and behaviour in a table know as the Periodic table.
 Periodic table

The periodic table is an arrangement of all

the elements placed in increasing atomic
number.

Arranged in several rows called Periods

and columns called Groups.

Elements in the same row (period) have the same number of

shell, whilst elements in the same group (column) have the
same number of electrons in their outermost shell.
Periodic table
Elements in the same group show similar properties.
For example, Copper, Silver and Gold are in group 1B.
All three are very good conductor of electricity and all
have one (1) electron in their outermost shell.

There are generally eight (8) groups in the

periodic table, and groups are further subdivided,
e.g. 1a, 1b, etc.

These three (3) metals are the three best conductor of electricity
 The electron configuration of Copper, Silver and Gold showing
they all have one (1) electron in their outermost shell:

Copper: - 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 3d10, 4s1

Silver: - 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 3d10, 4s2, 4p6, 4d10, 5s1

Gold: - 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 3d10, 4s2, 4p6, 4d10, 4f14, 5s2,5s6,5d10 , 6s1
From left to right the elements become less metallic

Elements in yellow are classified as Metals; i.e. they are

malleable, ductile, not all are shiny, some grayish and soft,
having high melting and boiling points and being good
conductors of electricity, all are solids except mercury (Hg),
which is a liquid.

From the periodic table it can be seen that metals are

elements with 1, 2, or 3 electrons in there outermost shell.
Elements in blue are non- metals:
these are not shiny, usually solids or
gases, the only liquid being Bromine
(Br),

They have low melting and boiling points

and are poor conductors, i.e. insulators.
They usually have 6, 7 and 8 electrons
in their outermost shell.
Elements in green, that do not have
distinctive quality of either metals or
non- metals,.

They are known as Metalloids.

They conductor electricity moderately

well, and most of them are termed as
Semiconductors.

Pure semiconductors usually have 4

electrons in their outermost shell,
example: Silicon (Si) and Germanium (Ge)
Elements in group 8A are called Noble or Inert gases.
Their shells are filled with it maximum quota of electrons
so there are stable and do not take part in chemical
reaction with other elements.

These are Helium, Neon, Argon,

Krypton, Xenon and Radon.

They are used in incandescent

lamps, discharge lamps, lighted
signs, laser, etc.
 Ion

An Ion is an atom with a Charge.

An ion can be either Positive (+) or Negative (-).

A positively charged Ion is formed

when an atom losses one or more
electrons.

A negatively charged Ion is formed

when an atom gains one or more
electrons.
Metals form positively (+) charged Ions
Also known as Cation Ions

Non- Metals form negatively (-) charged Ions

Also known as Anion Ions

 Bonding

The process by which Atoms or elements combine to form

Molecules and compound is called Bonding.

Atoms combine because they want to attain a stable state,

i.e., to have their full quota (number) of electrons in each shell.

There are mainly two (2) types of bonding:

1. Ionic Bonding 2. Covalent Bonding

Ionic Bonding - atoms or elements combine with each other by
one losing electron(s) and the other gaining those electron(s).

The bonding of Sodium (Na) and Chlorine

 Before bonding
Sodium has one extra electron.
Chlorine needs one electron to full
it last shell
So Sodium gives the extra electron
to chlorine

After bonding

In the process two ions are form

one Positive (+) and the other
negative (-) adhering to each other
by the attractive force formed by
the ionic bond.
Covalent Bonding –type of bonding in which atoms share
valence electrons so each would attain their full quota of
electrons in it outermost shell.

Atoms of non-metals combine with each other, to form

compounds and molecules by bonding covalently.

Whereby the outermost shells of the atoms involved, overlaps

and share electrons.
Diagram illustrating the covalent bonding of two carbon atoms
to form a carbon molecule.
 oxygen atom (O)
hydrogen atom (H)

hydrogen atom (H)

Diagram illustrating the covalent bonding of hydrogen and oxygen

to the compound H2O.
Students activity
Questions

1. Why an atom is said to be “ electrically neutral”?

2. With the aid of a diagram briefly explain Why metals are

very good conductors of electricity?

3. Why an atoms combine to form compound or molecules?

4. Draw the atomic structure of (i) Silver and (ii) Gold,

showing and labelling all shells and subshells.
5. Draw a diagram to show

(i) The bonding of magnesium (atomic #12) and oxygen (atomic #8)

(ii) The bonding of Carbon (atomic #6) and oxygen (atomic #8)