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Unit 8: Chemistry Page 14
one atom. It is the number of A periodic chart has a bunch of
protons that determines the kind of boxes. Each box represents one
atom an atom is, or in other words, element. In each box, is a ton of
the kind of element that atom is. information about each element. In
We’ll talk more about elements in a the upper left hand corner of each
bit. box is what’s called the atomic
number. The atomic number is the
Here science does us a bit of a same as the number of protons in
favor since it’s relatively easy to the atom.
tell how many electrons, protons,
and neutrons are in an atom. The Once you know that, you know the
number of protons, basically tells probable number of electrons and
you how many neutrons and neutrons in that atom! To the right
electrons are in the atom. If an you see how oxygen would look in
atom has 4 protons, it probably a periodic table. The atomic
has 4 neutrons and 4 electrons. I number is eight so you know there
say probably because in the world are eight protons, neutrons and
of atoms you can never be electrons. Isn’t it nice when nature
completely sure. These guys do makes things simple?
some wacky stuff. Protons and
electrons are usually equal in an We will talk more about this in
atom. The number of protons and future lessons but just to let you
neutrons are not necessarily equal know, protons have a positive
in some of the larger atoms. charge, neutrons have no charge,
and electrons have a negative
So how do you know how many charge. Atoms like to be electrically
protons are in an atom? Look at neutral so that’s why the number
the periodic chart. of protons and electrons tend to be
equal. Ten positive protons plus
ten negative electrons equals zero
net electrical charge. A neutral
atom. An atom that is not neutral
is called an ion.
(You can read more about
elements and electron shells in
Unit 3: Matter.)
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