CHAPTER 2

ATOMS,
MOLECULES &
IONS
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Learning objectives

To list the postulates of atomic theory

To describe the structure of the atom
To write the nuclide symbol for a given nuclide
To identify groups and periods on periodic table
To determine chemical formulas, molecular and ionic
substances
To write chemical equations
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Learning outcomes
students will be able to

Solve the qualitative problems related to write

chemical equations, list the postulates of atomic
theory, describe the structure of the atom, write the
nuclide symbol for a given nuclide, identify groups &
periods on periodic table, determine chemical
formulas, molecular and ionic substances
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2.1 Atomic theory of matter

Daltons Atomic Theory
All matter is composed of indivisible atoms.

An atom is an extremely small particle of matter that retains its

identity during chemical reactions.

An element is a type of matter composed of only one kind of

atom.
A compound is a type of matter composed of atoms of two or
more elements chemically combined in fixed proportions.

A chemical reaction involves the rearrangement of the atoms

present in the reacting substances to give new chemical
combinations present in the substances formed by the reaction.
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Atomic symbol: represent an atom corresponding to a particular element.

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Law of Multiple Proportions

When two elements form more than one compound, the masses
of one element in these compounds for a fixed mass of the other
element are in small, whole-number ratios.

Example: compare the mass of oxygen in the two oxygen

compounds of carbon:

carbon monoxide 12 g C 16 g O

carbon dioxide 12 g C 32 g O
The ratio of oxygen in CO2 to CO

oxygen in CO2 32 g
2
oxygen in CO 16 g
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2.2 The structure of the atom

The atom is composed of two parts:

Nucleus
Central core
Positively charged
Contains most of the atoms mass

Electrons
Very light
Negatively charged
Exist in the region around the nucleus
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Discovery of the Electron

J. J. Thomson discovered that the particles that make up
the cathode ray are negative and are part of all matter.
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Nuclear Model of the Atom

Ernest Rutherford used positively charged alpha particles
to bombard very thin gold foil.
Most alpha particles passed through the foil
But a few were scattered at large angles, sometimes
almost straight backward.
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2.3 Nuclear structure: isotopes

Proton A nuclear particle having a positive charge

atomic number The number of protons in an atom

Neutron A nuclear particle having a mass almost equal
to that of the proton but no electrical charge
Mass number total number of protons and neutrons in the
nucleus
Isotopes have the same atomic number but different
numbers of neutrons
Nuclide An atom characterized by a certain atomic
number and mass number
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Nuclear structure-exercise
[1] What is the nuclide symbol for the nucleus that
contains 14 protons and 14 neutrons?

[2] An atom contains 11 protons and 11 neutrons. What

is the nuclide symbol for the nucleus?
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[3] The following table gives the number of protons

and neutrons in the nuclei of various atoms. Which
atom is the isotope of atom A? Which atom has the
same mass number as atom A?
Protons Neutrons
Atom A 32 39
Atom B 32 38
Atom C 38 50
Atom D 33 38
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[4] What is the name of the element represented by each

of the following atomic symbols?

a) Ar

b) Zn

c) Ag

a) Mg
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2.4 Atomic masses

Atomic Mass
The average atomic mass for the naturally occurring
element expressed in atomic mass units (amu).

Atomic Mass Unit

Equal to exactly one-twelfth the mass of a carbon-12
atom
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2.5 Periodic Table of the elements

A tabular arrangement of elements in rows
and columns, highlighting the regular
repetition of properties of the elements

A period consists of the elements in one horizontal row.

A group consists of the elements in one vertical column.

Groups are numbered using two systems:

IUPAC Numbers 1 through 18
Older system Roman numerals IVIII and the
letters A and B
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Periodic Table of the elements-exercise

Give one example for each of the following.

a) a main-group element in the second period

b) an alkali metal

c) a transition element in the fourth period

d) a lanthanide element
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Metal A substance that has a characteristic shine and

is generally a good conductor of heat and
electricity

. Example: aluminium, copper, iron, tin, gold, lead

Nonmetal An element that does not exhibit the characteristics
of a metal

Example: Oxygen, nitrogen, carbon

Metalloid An element having characteristics of both metals and
nonmetals.

Example: silicon, germanium

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Metal, nonmetal, semimetal-exercise

determine whether the element is a metal,
nonmetal or metalloid.
a. S
b. Fe
c. Ba
d. Cu
e. Ne
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2.6 chemical formulas; molecular & ionic substances

Chemical formula A notation that uses atomic symbols with
numerical subscripts to convey the relative
proportions of atoms of the different elements in
the substance.
The chemical formula for glucose is C6H12O6

Molecular Formula A formula giving the exact number of different

atoms of an element in a molecule.
The molecular formula for glucose is C6H12O6

Empirical formula Is the simplest positive integer ratio of atoms

present in a compound

The empirical formula for glucose is CH2O

Ion an electrically charged particle obtained from an
atom or chemically bonded group of atoms by
adding or removing one or more electrons.
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cation is a positively charged ion formed by losing one

or more electrons.
Example: Al3+, Mg2+, Na+

anion is a negatively charged ion formed by gaining

one or more electrons.
Example: Cl-, Br-,I-

ionic compound is composed of cations and anions.

Example: NaCl
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chemical formulas; molecular & ionic substances-exercise

[1]Write the formula for the compound of each of the

following pairs of ions.
a) Fe3+ and CN-

b) K+ and SO42-

c) Li+ and N3-

d) Ca2+ and P3-

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2.7 Organic compounds

Organic Compounds

An important class of molecular substances; they

contain carbon combined with other elements
notably hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.

Hydrocarbons contain only carbon and hydrogen

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2.8 Naming simple compounds

Monatomic ions: Ions formed from a single atom.
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Polyatomic Ions: An ion consisting of two or more

atoms chemically bonded together and carrying an
electrical charge
phosphate PO43-
monohydrogen phosphate HPO42-
dihydrogen phosphate H2PO4-

carbonate CO32-
hydrogen carbonate (bicarbonate) HCO3-

sulfate SO42-
hydrogen sulfate (bisulfate) HSO4-

sulfite SO32-
hydrogen sulfite (bisulfite) HSO3-
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Naming simple compounds-exercise

[1]Give systematic names to the following binary
compounds. Prefix Number of atoms
a) N2O Mono- 1
Di- 2
b) P4O10 Tri 3
Tetra- 4
Penta- 5
c) AsCl3
Hexa- 6
Hepta- 7
d) Cl2O7 Octa- 8
Nona- 9
Deca- 10
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Naming simple compounds-exercise

[2]Write the formulas of the following compounds.
a) nitrogen tribromide

b) xenon tetroxide

c) oxygen difluoride

d) dichlorine pentoxide
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2.9 Writing chemical equations

A chemical equation is the symbolic representation
of a chemical reaction in terms of chemical formulas.

For example: 2Na + Cl2 2NaCl

Reactants are the starting materials; they are written

on the left of the equation.

Products are the materials at the end of the reaction;

they are written on the right of the equation.
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Writing chemical equations-exercise

[1] For the balanced chemical equation Pb(NO3)2 +

K2CO3 PbCO3 + 2KNO3, how many oxygen atoms are
on the left side?

[2] In the equation 2PbS + O2 2PbO + 2SO2, how

many oxygen atoms are there on the right side? Is the
equation balanced as written?
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2.10 Balancing chemical equations

balancing the equation to ensure that the same

number of each atom is present in both the reactants
and the products

Na + Cl2 2NaCl

Na are not balanced

To balance Na, we insert the coefficient 2
before Na on the reactant side.

2Na + Cl2 2NaCl

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Balancing chemical equations -exercise

a. Cl2O7 + H2O HClO4

b. MnO2 + HCl MnCl2 +Cl2 + H2O
c. Na2S2O3 + I2 NaI + Na2S4O6
d. Al4C3 +H2O Al(OH)3 +CH4
e. NO2 +H2O HNO3 +NO
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Checking outcome
To list the postulates of atomic theory
To describe the structure of the atom
To write the nuclide symbol for a given nuclide
To identify groups and periods on periodic table
To determine chemical formulas, molecular and
ionic substances
To write chemical equations