Elements

• What are the main components of an atom?

  A central nucleus made up of protons and neutrons, with electrons orbiting around it
• What determines the identity of an element?

  The number of protons in its nucleus
• What is the smallest element and how many protons does it have?

  Hydrogen, which has one proton
• How many protons and neutrons does helium have?

  Two protons and two neutrons
• How many different elements are there approximately?

  Around 100 different elements
• What do we call the boxes in the periodic table that represent different elements?

  Nuclear symbols
• What does the number in the bottom left of a nuclear symbol represent?

  The atomic number, which is unique to that element
• How can you identify an element based on its atomic number?

  Any atom with that many protons must be that element
• What is the atomic number of helium?

  Two
• What is the atomic number of carbon?

  Six
• If an atom has three protons, what element is it?

  Lithium
• What does the symbol 'C' represent?

  Carbon
• What does the symbol 'Li' represent?

  Lithium
• What are isotopes?


  Different forms of the same element that have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons
• What is the most common form of carbon?

  Carbon-12
• How many protons, neutrons, and electrons does carbon-12 have?


  Six protons, six neutrons, and six electrons
• What is the mass number of carbon-13?

  13
• Why do isotopes of an element react chemically in the same way?

  Because they all have the same number of protons
• What is relative atomic mass?

  The average mass of all the isotopes that make up a particular element
• What is the abundance of an isotope?


  How common or rare that isotope is
• How do you calculate the relative atomic mass of copper?

  By summing the product of each isotope's abundance and mass, then dividing by the total abundance
• What is the equation for relative atomic mass?

  Relative atomic mass = (sum of isotope abundance × isotope mass) / (sum of abundances of all isotopes)
• What is the first step in calculating the relative atomic mass of copper?

  Multiply each isotope's abundance by its mass
• What is the abundance of copper-63 and copper-65?

  Copper-63 has an abundance of 69.2% and copper-65 has an abundance of 30.8%
• What is the mass of copper-63 and copper-65?

  Copper-63 has a mass of 63 and copper-65 has a mass of 65
• What is the final calculation for the relative atomic mass of copper?

  63.6 when rounded to one decimal place
• What does the symbol 'Ar' represent?

  Relative atomic mass
• What are the steps to calculate the relative atomic mass of an element using isotopes?

  1. Multiply each isotope's abundance by its mass.
  2. Sum these values together.
  3. Divide by the total abundance of all isotopes.
• What are the differences between isotopes of the same element?

  • Same number of protons
  • Different number of neutrons
  • Different mass numbers