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Rogue Physicist.  Free resources for physics education © 2006-2016 Dorian Pascoe.  Email: dorian@top-school.co.uk

Most resources are available under a Creative Commons Licence.  Visit our mirror at www.physicsweb.altervista.org

 

 

 

...structure of the atom...

 

free simulations, worksheets, videos, images, animations and more.

 

 

 

Objectives:

 

  
 

 

  

 

• Be able to describe the structure of the atom.

 

 

• Know the names, charges, and relative masses of the three particles which make up atoms.

 

 

• Know and be able to use the terms isotope and ion correctly.

 

 

• Be able to describe Rutherford's scattering experiment, and how it led to the development of the nuclear model of the atom.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Task 1 - Starter

 

  
 

 

Hands up!

 

 

 

 

I know the answer!

 

  

 

Find someone who knows:

 

 

1) What is meant by an atom?

 

2) What particles make up an atom?

 

3) Where in the atom each particle is found.

 

4) The charge on each type of particle.

 

5) The mass of each particle.

 

6) The number of elements in the periodic table.

 

7) How to draw a chemical symbol, and what each of the numbers means.

 

 

 

Your teacher will tell you which questions to discuss.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

Task 2a - Nuclear model of the atom

 

  
 

 

 

 

 

See more fantastic Flash, Java and HTML5 simulations FREE at http://phet.colorado.edu

 

 

 

This simulation is HTML5, so it runs on tablets and mobiles too :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

The image below shows the nuclear model of the atom.

 

Click the image above to download this diagram.

 

 

 

 

Your teacher will explain atomic structure to you, and may use the atom builder applet (below) to help.

 

 

Applet credit: PhET.  See more great simulations and applets at http://phet.colorado.edu

 

 

 

 

Click below to open the applet in full screen mode:

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Task 2b - Nuclear model of the atom

 

  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Answer the following questions in full sentences.

 

 

1) Name the three sub-atomic particles atoms are made of.

 

2) Which particles do we find in the nucleus?

 

3) Which particle has a positive charge?

 

4) Which particle has a negative charge?

 

5) Which particle is neutral (has no charge)?

 

6) What is the overall charge on an atom? Explain your answer.

 

7) What is meant by the term ion?  How does ionisation occur?

 

 

 

Click the image below to download these questions as a word document.

 

 

 

 

Your teacher may give you a copy of the information sheet below, to help you answer the questions.

 

Click the image above to download the information sheet.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Task 3a - Interpreting chemical symbols

 

  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Look at the chemical symbol below, and discuss with the person next to you:

 

 

1) Which element does it represent?

 

2) How can we determine the number of protons, neutrons and electrons?

 

 

 

 

 

Your teacher will ask you to share your ideas with the class, and may write some of your ideas on the board.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

Task 3b - Chemical Symbols

 

  
 

 

I know all about chemical symbols.

 

  

 

Your teacher will explain what is meant by the terms atomic number and mass number, and how to calculate the number of neutrons in an atom.

 

 

 

 

1) What is meant by atomic number.  What is another name for the atomic number?

 

 

2) Explain what is meant by mass number.

What is another name for the mass number?

 

 

3) Draw the full chemical symbol for Iron.

(symbol Fe, 26 protons, 30 neutrons)

 

 

4) Fill in the missing words:

 

Atoms of the same element always have the same number of ____________.  The number of n___________ can be calculated by subtracting the ____________ number from the ____________ number.

 

 

5) What is meant by the term isotope. Which quantities are the same and which are different for isotopes of the same element?

 

 

 

Click the image above to download these questions as a word document.

 

 

 

 

Your teacher may give you a copy of the information sheet below, to help you answer the questions.

 

Click the image above to download the information sheet.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Task 4 - Rutherford Scattering

 

  
 

 

    

The nuclear model of the atom we have looked at above is fairly recent.  It was proposed by Ernest Rutherford in 1911.

 

Your teacher will explain Rutherford's famous "scattering experiment", and how the results led him to devise the nuclear model of the atom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click the image below to see a simulation of Rutherford's Alpha Scattering experiment.

 

Teacher note: there is a local copy stored here.

 

 

 

 

The notes and diagrams below explain the details of Rutherford's experiment.

 

 

Click the images above to download these notes as a word document.

 

 

 

 

Stick the notes in your exercise book, and then try to explain which observations led to each of the following conclusions:

 

 

1) Most of the atom is empty space.

 

2) There is a small positively charged region (the nucleus).

 

3) Most of the mass is concentrated in the nucleus.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homework

 

  
 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Homework task coming soon!