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Chapter 3 Atomic Structure Radioactivity

The document discusses atomic structure, beginning with Dalton's atomic theory which posits that all matter is composed of indivisible atoms. It describes Rutherford's gold foil experiment that led to the discovery of the nucleus and Bohr's atomic model, which introduced fixed energy levels for electrons. Additionally, it covers subatomic particles, charge neutrality, and the concept of radioisotopes and radioactivity.

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6 views

Chapter 3 Atomic Structure Radioactivity

The document discusses atomic structure, beginning with Dalton's atomic theory which posits that all matter is composed of indivisible atoms. It describes Rutherford's gold foil experiment that led to the discovery of the nucleus and Bohr's atomic model, which introduced fixed energy levels for electrons. Additionally, it covers subatomic particles, charge neutrality, and the concept of radioisotopes and radioactivity.

Uploaded by

dayyan4102
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chapter 3

Atomic structure
Dalton’s Model:-
In 1803, the British chemist John
Dalton presented a scientific theory on the existence and
nature of matter. This theory is called Dalton’s atomic
theory. Main postulates of his theory are as follows:
1. All elements are composed of tiny indivisible particles
called atom.
2. Atoms of a particular element are identical. They
have same mass and same volume.
3. During chemical reactions atoms combine or
separate or re-arrange. They combine in simple
ratios.
4. Atoms can neither be created nor destroyed.
Rutherford’s Experiment:-
Rutherford bombarded a
very thin gold file about 0.00004cm thickness with a-
particles. He used a-particle obtained from disintegration
of polonium. a-particles are helium nuclei that are doubly
positively charged (He++). Most of these particles passed
straight through foil. Only few particles were slightly
deflected. But one in 1 million was deflected through an
angle greater than 90o from their straight paths. Rutherford
performed a series of experiments using thin foils of other
elements. He observed similar results from these
experiments.
Rutherford’s Conclusions:-
1. Since majority of the a-particles passed through the
foil deflected, most of the space occupied by an atom
must be empty.
2. The deflection of a few a particles through angles
greater than 90° shows that these particles are
deflected by electrostatic repulsion between the
positively charged a-particle and the positively
charged part of atom.
3. Massive a-particles are not deflected by electrons.
Rutherford’s Atomic Model:-
1. He proposed a planetary model (similar to the solar
system) for an atom.
2. An atom is a neutral particle.
3. The mass of an atom is concentrated in a very small
dense positively charged region. He named this
region as nucleus.
4. The electrons are revolving around the nucleus in
circles. These circles are called orbits.
5. The centrifugal force due to the revolution of
electrons balances the electrostatic force of attraction
between the nucleus and the electrons.
Defects in Rutherford’s Atomic Model:-
Rutherford’s
model of an atom resembles our solar system. It has
following defects:-
1. Classical physics suggests that electron being
charged particle emit energy continuously while
revolving around the nucleus. Thus the orbit of the
revolving electron becomes smaller and smaller until
it would fall into the nucleus. This would collapse the
atomic structure.
2. If revolving electron emits energy continuously it
should form a continuous spectrum.
Bohr’s Atomic Theory:-
In 1913 Neil Bohr,
proposed a model for an atom that was consistent with
Rutherford’s model Main postulates of Bohr’s atomic
theory are as follows:-
1. The electron in an atom revolves around the
nucleus in one of the circular orbits. Each orbit has a
fixed energy. So each orbit is also called energy
level.
2. The energy of the electron in an orbit is proportional
to its distance from the nucleus. The father the
electron is from the nucleus, the more energy it has.
3. The electron revolves only in those orbit for which
the angular momentum of the electron is an integral
multiple of h/2π where h is Plank’s constant (its value
is 6.626*10-34 J.s).
4. Light is absorbed when an electron jumps to a
higher energy orbit and emitted when an electron
falls into a lower energy orbit. Electron present in a
particular orbit does not radiate energy.
5. The energy of the light emitted is exactly equal to
the difference between the energies of the orbits.
Subatomic Particles:-
Subatomic particles are the
fundamental particles that make up atoms. The three
main subatomic particles are:-
Proton:-
 Relative Charge: +1
 Relative Mass: Approximately 1 atomic mass unit
(amu) or 1.6726*10-27 kg.
Neutron:-
 Relative Charge: 0(neutral)
 Relative mass: Approximately 1 atomic mass unit
(amu) or 1.6749*10-27 kg.
Electron:-
 Relative Charge: -1
 Relative Mass: Approximately 1/1836 amu or
9.11*10-31 kg.
Protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus of an
atom, whereas electron orbit around the nucleus in the
energy level or shells. They play crucial role in
determining the properties and behaviour of atoms and
molecules. Neutrons and Protons are held together in the
nucleus by a strong nuclear force. This force exists
between neutron-neutron, proton-proton and neutron-
proton.
Relationship between Subatomic Particles:-

Protons and neutrons have roughly the same mass,


around one amu. This mass contributes significantly to
the total mass of the atom. Electrons have much less
mass, so their contribution to the total mass of an atom is
usually negligible.
The interaction between the negatively charged electrons
and positively charged protons in the nucleus is what
holds the atoms together.
The Behaviour of Protons, Neutrons and Electrons in
an Electric Field:-
 Protons are positively charged and are deflected on
a curved path towards the negative plate.
 Electrons are negatively charged and are deflected
on a curved path towards the positive plate.
 Neutrons have no charge, go straight ahead.
 If the electrons and protons are traveling at the same
speed, the electrons being lighter are deflected far
more strongly than the heavier protons.
Charge Neutrality:-
Atoms are electrically neutral
because the number of protons (positively charged) in
the nucleus is equal to the number of electrons
(negatively charged) in the electron cloud. The charges
balance each day so there is no net charge on the atom.
Radioisotopes:-
Radioactive isotope of an element
can be defined as atoms that contain an unstable
combination of neutrons and protons, or excess energy
in their nucleus.
Proton or Atomic Number:-
Proton number refers
to the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. It is
also known as the atomic number and is indicated by the
symbol “Z”.
Nucleon Number or Atomic Mass:-
The total number
of protons and neutrons in an atom is known as its mass
number or nucleon number and it is donated by the
symbol “A”.
Radioactivity:-
In some elements , the nuclear
forces are not naturally balanced. The nucleus of these
atoms decays and becomes another atom. This process
is called radioactive decay and this phenomenon is
called radioactivity. This process continues until the force
in the nucleus core are balanced.

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