Structure of atom
Frequently Asked Questions
An atom is the smallest unit of matter that retains the chemical properties of an element.
The atomic mass is the mass of an atom, typically expressed in atomic mass units (amu).
The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which defines the element.
A molecule is formed when two or more atoms chemically bond together.
The electron configuration refers to the arrangement of electrons around the nucleus of an atom in orbitals.
Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have the same atomic number but different atomic masses.
Isobars are atoms of different elements that have the same atomic mass but different atomic numbers.
Rutherford's model proposes that the atom has a small, dense nucleus surrounded by orbiting electrons.
Bohr's model suggests that electrons move in fixed orbits around the nucleus and can only occupy specific energy levels.
The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle states that it is impossible to simultaneously know the exact position and momentum of an electron.
Wave-particle duality is the concept that every particle or quantum entity can be described as both a particle and a wave.
Quantum numbers are set of numbers that describe the position and energy of an electron in an atom.
The principal quantum number defines the main energy level or shell of an electron in an atom.
The azimuthal quantum number defines the shape of the orbital and the sublevel (s, p, d, f).
The magnetic quantum number defines the orientation of the orbital in space.
The spin quantum number indicates the direction of the electron's spin (either +1/2 or -1/2).
The Pauli Exclusion Principle states that no two electrons in an atom can have the same set of all four quantum numbers.
Hund's Rule states that electrons will occupy degenerate orbitals singly before pairing up.
The Aufbau Principle states that electrons fill orbitals starting from the lowest energy level to the highest.
The energy of an electron in an orbit is given by \( E_n = - \frac{13.6 \, \text{eV}}{n^2} \), where \( n \) is the principal quantum number.
The emission spectrum is a spectrum of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by a substance when it is heated or energized.
The absorption spectrum is a spectrum of absorbed radiation by a substance, which shows which wavelengths are absorbed.
The de Broglie wavelength of a particle is given by \( \lambda = \frac{h}{mv} \), where \( h \) is Planck's constant, \( m \) is the mass, and \( v \) is the velocity.
Planck's constant \( h \) is the fundamental constant of nature in quantum mechanics, \( h = 6.626 \times 10^{-34} \, \text{J·s} \).
The Bohr radius is the radius of the orbit in which an electron revolves in the hydrogen atom, given by \( r = \frac{0.529 \, \text{Å}}{n^2} \).
The quantum numbers provide a complete description of an electron’s energy, position, and behavior in an atom.
Orbitals are regions of space where there is a high probability of finding an electron.
An orbit is a fixed path around the nucleus, while an orbital is a region in space where an electron is likely to be found.
The types of orbitals are s, p, d, and f, each with a distinct shape and energy level.
The relationship between wavelength and frequency is given by \( c = \lambda \nu \), where \( c \) is the speed of light, \( \lambda \) is the wavelength, and \( \nu \) is the frequency.
The atomic emission spectrum of hydrogen consists of several lines in the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared regions.
The Lyman series is the set of spectral lines in the ultraviolet region of the hydrogen atom's emission spectrum.
The Balmer series is the set of spectral lines in the visible region of the hydrogen atom's emission spectrum.
The Paschen series is the set of spectral lines in the infrared region of the hydrogen atom's emission spectrum.
Rutherford's model could not explain the stability of the atom or the discrete nature of atomic spectra.
Bohr's model explained the stability of atoms and the existence of discrete energy levels.
Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom in the gaseous state.
Electron affinity is the energy change when an electron is added to a neutral atom in the gaseous state.
The Aufbau principle guides the filling of electron orbitals starting with the lowest energy level.
The ground state is the lowest energy state of an atom, while the excited state occurs when an electron absorbs energy and moves to a higher energy level.
Quantum mechanical numbers define the energy levels, shapes, orientations, and spins of electrons in an atom.
The angular momentum quantum number determines the shape of the orbital and is denoted by \( l \).
The principal quantum number indicates the overall size and energy of an orbital.
Electron spin is a property of electrons that describes their angular momentum in a quantum system, taking values of +1/2 or -1/2.
The energy of an electron in the hydrogen atom is given by \( E = - \frac{13.6}{n^2} \, \text{eV} \).
Quantum numbers define the specific orbital and energy level an electron occupies, thus determining the electron arrangement in an atom.
A photon is a quantum of electromagnetic radiation that carries energy proportional to its frequency.
A continuous spectrum is the range of all possible wavelengths of light, without any gaps or missing regions.
A line spectrum is a spectrum that contains only specific wavelengths of light, corresponding to transitions between energy levels.
The electron cloud model suggests that electrons exist in regions of probability around the nucleus, rather than fixed orbits.
Atomic spectra arise when electrons absorb or emit energy while transitioning between different energy levels in an atom.
