Quiz: Atomic Theory and Structure

Which subatomic particle has a positive electrical charge?

• Electron

• Proton

• Neutron

• Positron

Who proposed the first widely accepted atomic theory in the early 1800s?

• J.J. Thomson

• John Dalton

• Ernest Rutherford

• Niels Bohr

What is the relative mass of an electron compared to a proton?

• Much less (2,000 x smaller)

• About the same

• Much greater (2,000 x larger)

• Zero

Which experiment led to the discovery of the nucleus in the atom?

• Gold foil experiment

• Cathode ray tube experiment

• Oil drop experiment

• Double-slit experiment

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

Where are electrons located in an atom?

• In the nucleus

• Orbiting the nucleus

• In the proton cloud

• In the neutron shell

Which scientist's model first included electrons embedded in a sphere of positive charge?

• Bohr

• Dalton

• Thomson

• Rutherford

Compare the charges of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

• All are positive

• Protons are positive, neutrons are neutral, electrons are negative

• Protons are negative, neutrons are positive, electrons are neutral

• Protons and electrons are positive, neutrons are negative

Which change in the atomic model was necessitated by the results of Rutherford’s gold foil experiment?

• Atoms are indivisible

• Atoms have a dense, positively charged nucleus

• Electrons are in fixed orbits

• Atoms are mostly solid

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-8

Explain why the discovery of the electron led to a change in the atomic model.

• It showed atoms were indivisible

• It proved atoms had internal structure

• It confirmed atoms were solid spheres

• It showed atoms had no mass

Given the following information, determine which subatomic particle is responsible for the identity of an element and justify your answer.

• Electron, because it determines the atom’s charge

• Neutron, because it affects the mass number

• Proton, because the number of protons defines the element

• Neutron, because it is found in the nucleus