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ATOMS. Chapter 4. What is an Atom?. The smallest particle into which an element can be divided and still be the same substance The building blocks of all matter. Size of Atoms. Atoms are really, really small Even the biggest atoms can’t be seen. Can you cut it?.
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ATOMS Chapter 4
What is an Atom? • The smallest particle into which an element can be divided and still be the same substance • The building blocks of all matter
Size of Atoms • Atoms are really, really small • Even the biggest atoms can’t be seen
Can you cut it? • Cut a strip of paper 28 cm long by 4 cm wide • If you can cut the strip of paper in half 31 times you will end up with a piece of paper the size of an atom. • Take your strip of paper and cut it into equal halves. • Cut one of the remaining pieces of paper into equal halves. • Continue to cut the strip into equal halves as many times as you can. • Make all cuts parallel to the first one. When the width gets longer than the length, you may cut off the excess, but that does not count as a cut.
How far did you get? • Here are some comparisons to think about! • Cut 1 14.0cm Child's hand • Cut 2 7.0 cm Fingers, ears, toes • Cut 3 3.5 cm Watch, mushroom, eye • Cut 4 1.75 cm Rings, insects • Cut 6 .44 cm Poppy seeds • Cut 8 1 mm Thread. Congratulations if your still in! • Cut 10 .25 mm Still cutting? Most have quit by now • Cut 12 .06 mm Microscopic range, human hair • Cut 14 .015 mm Width of paper, microchip components • Cut 18 1 micron Water purification openings, bacteria • Cut 19 .5 micron Visible light waves • Cut 24 .015 micron Electron microscope range • Cut 31 .0001 micron The size of an Atom!
Parts of an Atom • Three subatomic particles (there are more) - protons – positive charge, located in the nucleus - neutrons – no charge, located in the nucleus - electrons – negative charge, located in the electron cloud
Charged Atoms • When an atom has the same number of protons and electrons, the atom is neutral • When there is a different number of protons and electrons, the atom has a charge • Charged atoms are called ions
An ion is positive when the protons outnumber the electrons • An ion is negative when the electrons outnumber the protons
Isotopes • Atoms of an element that have the same number of protons but different number of neutrons
Electron Shells • 1st shell can hold 2 • 2nd shell can hold 8 • 3rd shell can hold 18 but for our purposes we will consider it full at 8
Forces • Gravity – attraction between particles in the atom. Very small force in the atom • Electromagnetic – holds electrons around the nucleus • Strong – holds the nucleus together (is stronger than the electromagnetic force that is pulling it apart • Weak – responsible for radioactivity. Helps change neutrons into protons and electrons