Atoms

Front

What is an atom?

Back

An atom is the smallest unit of matter that retains the properties of an element. It consists of a nucleus made of protons and neutrons, surrounded by electrons.

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What is the atomic number?

Back

The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which determines the element's identity.

Front

What is atomic mass?

Back

Atomic mass is the weighted average mass of an atom's isotopes, measured in atomic mass units (amu).

Front

What is a proton?

Back

A proton is a positively charged subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom.

Front

What is a neutron?

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A neutron is a neutral subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom, contributing to the atomic mass.

Front

What is an electron?

Back

An electron is a negatively charged subatomic particle that orbits the nucleus of an atom.

Front

What is an isotope?

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Isotopes are variants of a particular chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

Front

How do you calculate the atomic mass of an element?

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The atomic mass is calculated by taking the weighted average of the masses of all the isotopes of an element based on their natural abundance.

Front

What is the significance of the chemical symbol?

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The chemical symbol is a one or two-letter notation used to represent an element on the periodic table.

Front

What is the mass number?

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The mass number is the total number of protons and neutrons in an atom's nucleus.