Activity 2: Atom and Atomic Structure



Here is a picture of my Oxygen element model. There are 8 brown chocolate chips that represent the neutrons and 8 tan chocolate chips that represent the protons. The model also has 8 electrons surrounding the nucleus, this includes 6 on the outside and 2 on the inside.

Here is a picture of my Neon element model. There 10 brown chocolate chips that represent the neutrons and 10 tan chocolate chips that represent the protons. The model also has 10 electrons surrounding the nucleus, this includes 8 on the outside and 2 on the inside.

 



 

 

Here is a picture of my Beryllium element model. There are 4 brown chocolate chips that represent the neutrons and 4 tan chocolate chips that represent the protons. The model also has 4 electrons surrounding the nucleus, this includes 2 on the outside and 2 on the inside.

 

1. What is the atomic number for each of your models?

• Oxygen: 8
• Neon: 10
• Beryllium: 2

2. What is the atomic mass number for each of your models?

• Oxygen: 15.9994
• Neon: 20.1797
• Beryllium: 9.012182

3. In your models, which two subatomic particles are equal in

number?
There are an equal number of protons and electrons or an equal number of positive and negative charges.

4. How would you make an isotope for one of your models? What would change with the model?

Oxygen has 8 protons and 8 electrons. If I added 2 more neutrons to my Oxygen model, there would be an isotope that would have an atomic weight of 18.

5. Considering the overall volume of your element models, what

makes up most of the volume of an atom?
The volume is made up mostly of empty space. The nucleus is mostly mass (because it is made up of protons and neutrons).

6. For one of your models, show with another image what happens when energy excites an electron.

This is what happens when my Beryllium get excited.

7. Once the electron is excited, what do we typically observe when the electron returns to the ground-state?

The electron will return to it's ground state. This energy normally happens in the form of a particle of light.

8. Why are some elements different colors when they are excited? Hint: when electrons are excited (by something like heat from an explosive) they move up to another orbital and when they fall back they release the energy in the form of light.

Different elements have a different amount of energy gaps, this is because elements release different amounts of energy and also elements release different colors, this is based on the light spectrum.

9. With the Fourth of July coming up quickly, explain how the

colors of fireworks arise.
When an electron is in it's lowest state of energy this is called ground state. Then when a flame or other sources supplies energy to an atom, the electron goes from it's lowest state to it's highest state. Then it eventually will return to ground state which produces light. This is how we will the process of fireworks happening.

10. Explain the overall organizational structure of the periodic

table.
The periodic table is set up in rows and columns. It increases with elements according to the element's atomic number. There are 18 vertical columns or groups and the horizontal rows of the table are called periods. The rows are organized by the number of electrons shelves they have. The groups or classes include, Alkali Metals, Alkali Metals, Alkaline Earth, Halogens, Noble Gases, Transition Metals, Non-Metals, and Metalloids.

11. List two example elements for each of these groups or classes:

Alkali Metals: Sodium and Potassium
Alkaline Earth: Barium and Radium
Halogens: Chorine and Iodine
Noble Gases: Neon and Argon
Transition Metals: Nickel and Copper
Non-Metals: Carbon and Hydrogen
Metalloids: Silicon and Arsenic