Atoms, Elements & Molecules / Study Guide

Atoms, Elements & Molecules / Study Guide

All matter is made of one or more basic materials combined together. Scientists have identified around 100 basic types of matter, called elements. Matter can be made up of a single element or a combination of many different elements. Each particle of a particular element cannot be broken down into simpler substances by ordinary physical or chemical processes. Some examples of elements that you might recognize are oxygen, carbon, helium, mercury, copper and gold.

Multiple Choice

Elements are the _______ materials that make up _______ in the universe.

• confusing; some

• complex; no matter

• basic; all matter

• complex; some matter

Multiple Choice

Elements _______ be broken down into simpler substances by ordinary physical or chemical processes.

• can

• can not

Multiple Select

Which items are made up of elements? Select all that are.

Scientists have identified over 100 elements in nature and have made even more in laboratories. On Earth, elements can exist in all state matter. Some elements, such as copper and gold, are typically found in a solid state. Mercury is an element that is found on Earth as a liquid. Elements like oxygen and helium are found as gases. Copper, gold, mercury, helium and oxygen are single elements. However, single elements can combine to create new substances.

Multiple Choice

These are bars of gold. Which of the following statements are true about the gold bars?

• The gold bars are made up on of element: gold

• The gold bars are made up of many elements.

• The gold bars are made up of one element: copper.

• The gold bars are not made up of any elements.

Multiple Choice

Dr. Franck cuts a bar of pure gold into smaller and smaller pieces. Will this action change the element that makes up the bar?

• Yes

• No

Multiple Choice

Water is necessary for life. It covers 3/4 of our planet. However, water is not an element. How can this be true?

• Water is made of something other than elements.

• Water is not actually matter.

• Water is made from a combination of elements.

Just as all matter is made up of different combinations of elements, each pure element is made up of smaller building blocks called atoms. An atoms is the smallest particle of an element that still has the properties of that element. Properties determine how an element will change under certain conditions. Different elements are made of different atoms. For example, all silver atoms are the same. However, a silver atom is very different from a hydrogen atom.

Multiple Choice

An atom is the _______ particle of an element that has _________ the element.

• smallest; different properties

• smallest; the same properties

• biggest; the same properties

• biggest; no properties

Multiple Choice

Atoms of different elements will be ________ each other. Atoms of the same element will be _______ each other.

• the same as; different from

• different from; the same as

This is a drawing of a helium atom. These are some of the characteristics of helium atoms: they do not easily bond, or join together with, other atoms; they do not light on fire.

Multiple Select

This balloon is filled with helium. Which of the following are true about the helium gas inside the balloon? Select all that are true.

Hint: refer to the previous slide which describes the physical properties of Helium.

• It will light on fire very easily.

• It will not form bonds if it meets another substance.

• It will form many bonds if it meets other substances.

• It will not light on fire.

The Atom

Atoms are also made up of smaller pieces. All atoms have three different kinds of particles with different electrical charges.

Study the diagram of an atom at right to learn about its makeup.

An atom is identified by the number of protons within its nucleus. Atoms of different elements have different numbers of protons. The atom at right is a helium atom. Just like helium, all elements are identified by the number of protons in the nuclei of their atoms. All hydrogen atoms have one proton. All gold atoms have 79 protons. While the number of electrons in an element's atoms can change, the number of protons always stays the same.

Multiple Choice

The ______ is the center of the atom. It contains protons and ______.

• proton; neutrons

• nucleus; atoms

• nucleus; electrons

• nucleus; neutrons

Multiple Choice

Protons have a __________ charge.

• Positive

• Negative

• Neutral

Multiple Choice

Neutrons have a __________ charge.

• Positive

• Negative

• Neutral

Multiple Choice

Electrons move in the space ______ the nucleus. They have a ______ charge.

• outside; positive

• outside; negative

• inside; positive

• inside; negative

• outside; neutral

Multiple Choice

Which part of this lithium atom (click to enlarge) is labeled #1.

• nucleus

• neutron

• proton

• electron

Multiple Choice

Which part of this lithium atom (click to enlarge) is labeled #2.

• nucleus

• neutron

• proton

• electron

Multiple Choice

Which part of this lithium atom (click to enlarge) is labeled #3.

• nucleus

• neutron

• proton

• electron

Multiple Choice

Which part of this lithium atom (click to enlarge) is labeled #4.

• nucleus

• neutron

• proton

• electron

Multiple Choice

Based on this diagram, which of the following is true about the lithium atom?

• All lithium atoms always have only three neutrons.

• All lithium atoms always have only three electrons.

• All lithium atoms always have only three protons.

Multiple Choice

This boron atom is missing its electrons. Which of the following drawings has the correct number of electrons drawn into the space surrounding the nucleus?

Multiple Select

This is a carbon atom. It has six protons, six neutrons, and six electrons. Which of the following are true about a carbon atom's electrons? (click to enlarge)

Select all that are true.

• They can leave the atom.

• More electrons can join the atom.

• They can help atoms join together.

• They do not change.

Typically, matter is the result of a combination of atoms. Atoms combine, or bond, using their electrons. When atoms from two or more different elements bond, they form a compound. Most of the matter in the universe is a compound, and each compound has its own properties. For example, water is a liquid and table salt is a solid crystal.

A molecule describes a combination of atoms that cannot be broken apart while still remaining the same properties as the larger substance that it is a part of. Many compounds are also considered molecules. For example, water is a chemical compound because it results from bonds between atoms from two different elements: hydrogen and oxygen.

Oxygen vs Water

Water is considered a molecule because the moment one of the bons between a hydrogen and an oxygen atom are broken, water's properties will change. However oxygen is not a compound because it is formed by two atoms of the same element.

The properties of a compound can be very different from properties of each individual atom in the compound. For example, on Earth, hydrogen atoms make up a gas, and oxygen atoms make up a gas. But when two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom join together to make water, the resulting compound is a liquid.

Multiple Select

Each different colored sphere represents a different kind of atom. Which of these models show molecules. Select all that apply.

Multiple Choice

Which of these models is not a molecules?

Multiple Choice

Select the particles in each oxygen atom (shown at left, click to enlarge) that will help these atoms bond to form an oxygen molecule.

• Particles (labeled) A & E

• Particles (labeled) C & D

• Particles (labeled) B & F

• Particles (labeled) B & D

Multiple Choice

Sugar is made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Pure carbon makes up the dark graphite lead in pencils. On Earth, pure hydrogen is typically a gas. On Earth, pure oxygen is a gas we breathe. Which of the following is true about sugar?

• Sugar is different from the atoms it is made of in many ways.

• Sugar makes up dark pencil lead.

• Sugar is a gas.

• We breathe sugar.

Multiple Choice

What is an atom?

• the smallest particle of an element that still has the properties of that element

• the largest piece of an element that still has the properties of that element

• the smallest particle of an element that does not have the properties of that element

• one particle in the nucleus of an atom that has a positive charge

Multiple Choice

What is a nucleus?

• the top of an atom

• the center of an atom

• the outside of an atom

• a particle with a neutral charge

Multiple Choice

What is a proton?

• one particle in the nucleus of an atom that has a positive charge

• a particle that moves around the nucleus of an atom and has a positive charge

• one particle in the nucleus of an atom that has a neutral charge

• one particle in the nucleus of an atom that has a negative charge

Multiple Choice

What is a neutron?

• a particle that moves around the nucleus of an atom and has a neutral charge

• one particle in the nucleus of an atom that has a negative charge

• one particle in the nucleus of an atom that has a neutral charge

• a particle that moves around the nucleus of an atom and has a positive charge

Multiple Choice

What is an electron?

• a particle in the nucleus of an atom that has a negative charge

• a particle that moves around the nucleus of an atom and has a negative charge

• a particle that moves around the nucleus of an atom and has a positive charge

• a particle that moves around the nucleus of an atom and has a neutral charge

Multiple Choice

What is a molecule?

• the splitting apart of two or more atoms

• two different types of atoms that are bonded together

• a combination of atoms that cannot be broken apart while still retaining the same properties as the larger substance that it is a part of

• ten or more atoms bonded together

Multiple Choice

What is a compound?

• a substance resulting from a split between atoms in a molecule

• a substance resulting from bonds between atoms from different elements

• a substance resulting from bonds between two atoms of the same element

• a substance resulting from bonds between ten or more atoms of the same element

Multiple Choice

Which of these items is NOT made of at least one element?

• oxygen

• pencil lead

• your backpack

• the ocean

• none of the above

Multiple Choice

Oxygen atoms are different from carbon atoms. Which of the following is always a difference between these two atoms?

• They have different numbers of protons.

• They have different numbers of nuclei.

• They have different numbers of electrons.

• They have different numbers of neutrons

Multiple Choice

Which statement about elements if FALSE?

• They can combine to form new substances.

• They exist in many states in nature.

• They make up all matter in the universe.

• none of the above

Multiple Choice

Ro has a gold watch and a silver ring. What can you tell Ron about these items?

• The watch is an element, but the ring is not.

• The ring is an element, but the watch is not.

• The watch and ring are made of the same kinds of atoms.

• The watch and the ring are made of different kinds of atoms.

Multiple Choice

An aluminum atom has 13 protons. If an atom of aluminum has a neutral charge, how many electrons should be moving around outside the nucleus?

• 13

• 0

• 26

• 12

Multiple Choice

This group of atoms is the smallest combination of atoms that retains the properties of a substance called carbon dioxide. It is made of 1 carbon atom and 2 oxygen atoms. Which of the following are true about carbon dioxide?

Check all that are true?

• It is a compound.

• It is a single atom.

• It is an element.

• It is a molecule.

Multiple Select

This is a carbon atom. It has six protons, six neutrons, and six electrons. Which of the following are true about a carbon atom's electrons? (click to enlarge)

Select all that are true.

• They can leave the atom.

• More electrons can join the atom.

• They can help atoms join together.

• They do not change.