The Basics of Atomic Chemistry

📋 Course Outline

1. Atomic Structure and Subatomic Particles
2. Atomic Number and Mass Number
3. Isotopes and Relative Atomic Mass
4. Elements, Compounds and Molecules
5. Mixtures and Their Types
6. Separation Techniques

📖 1. Atomic Structure and Subatomic Particles

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Atom : the smallest part of an element that still has the properties of that element

📝 Essential Points

• A proton is located in :

  • the nucleus

  • has relative charge +1

  • has relative mass 1

• A neutron is located in :

  • the nucleus

  • has neutral relative charge

  • has relative mass 1

• An electron is located in :

  • an energy level

  • has relative charge −1

  • has relative mass 1/1,840

📌 An atom is neutral because it contains equal numbers of positively charged protons and negatively charged electrons.

💡 Memory Hook

The nucleus holds massive protons and neutrons, whereas the energy levels hold tiny electrons.

📖 2. Atomic Number and Mass Number

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Atomic number : the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom of that element
• Mass number : the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom of that element