Calculating the Particles (OCR GCSE Chemistry A (Gateway))

Defining Terminology

Atomic Number

• The atomic number (or proton number) is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom

• The symbol for this number is Z

• It is also the number of electrons present in an atom and determines the position of the element on the Periodic Table

• The proton number is unique to each element, so no two elements have the same number of protons

• Electrons can be lost, gained, or shared during chemical processes but the proton number of an atom does not change in a chemical reaction

Mass Number

• The mass number (or nucleon number) is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom

• The symbol for this number is A

• The mass number minus the proton number gives you the number of neutrons of an atom

• Note that protons and neutrons can collectively be called nucleons

• The atomic number and mass number for every element is on the Periodic Table

Diagram showing the notation used on the Periodic Table

Isotopes

• Isotopes are atoms of the same element that contain the same number of protons and electrons but a different number of neutrons

• The symbol for an isotope is the chemical symbol (or word) followed by a dash and then the mass number

• So, C-14 is the isotope of carbon which contains 6 protons and 6 electrons, but the 14 signifies that it has 8 neutrons (14 - 6 = 8)

  • It can also be written as ¹⁴C

• Isotopes display the same chemical characteristics

• This is because they have the same number of electrons in their outer shells, and this is what determines their chemistry

• The difference between isotopes is the neutrons which are neutral particles within the nucleus and add mass only

The Atomic Structure and Symbols of the Three Isotopes of Hydrogen

Ions

• An ion is an atom or group of atoms that has an electrical charge, either positive and negative

• Atoms have an equal number of protons and electrons and so do not have an overall charge

• Atoms with incomplete outer electron shells are unstable

• By either gaining or losing electrons, atoms can obtain full outer electron shells and become stable

• When this happens, atoms have an unequal number of protons and electrons and so have an overall charge.

• This is how atoms become ions

• An atom that loses electrons has more protons than electrons and so has a positive overall charge

  • This is called a positive ion or cation

• An atom that gains electrons has more electrons than protons and so has a negative overall charge

  • This is called a negative ion or anion

Calculating the Numbers

Protons

• The atomic number is equal to the number of protons (p) in an atom

• Since atoms are neutral, then it is also the same as the number of electrons (e)

• The mass number is the number of protons plus neutrons

• The number of neutrons (n) can thus be calculated by subtracting the atomic number from the mass number

  • For example, beryllium has an atomic number of 4, therefore it has 4 protons and 4 electrons

  • The mass number of beryllium is 9, so it has 9 - 4 = 5 neutrons

  • The PEN numbers for beryllium are thus: p = 4 e = 4 n = (9 - 4 =) 5

The symbol key for beryllium as represented on the periodic table

Neutrons

• The mass and atomic numbers can be used to find the number of neutrons in ions and atoms:

Number of neutrons = mass number (A) - atomic number (Z)

Electrons

• An atom is neutral and therefore has the same number of protons and electrons

• Ions have a different number of electrons to the number of protons, depending on their charge

• A positively charged ion has lost electrons and therefore has fewer electrons than protons

• A negatively charged ion has gained electrons and therefore has more electrons than protons