Chapter 3 – Structure of the Atom

✨ Main Summary

1. Dalton’s Atomic Theory

• Matter is made up of tiny indivisible particles called atoms.

• Atoms cannot be created or destroyed.

• All atoms of a given element are identical.

👉 Later, this theory was found to be partially incorrect (atoms are divisible, isotopes exist).

2. Discovery of Electron

• J. J. Thomson discovered the electron through the cathode ray experiment.

3. Discovery of Proton

• Goldstein discovered protons through the anode ray experiment.

4. Discovery of Neutron

• James Chadwick (1932) discovered the neutron.

5. Models of the Atom

(i) Thomson’s Model (Plum Pudding Model):

• The atom is a positively charged sphere.

• Negatively charged electrons are embedded in it like “plums in a pudding.”
  👉 Wrong model.

(ii) Rutherford’s Model (Nuclear Model):

• Based on the gold foil experiment.

• Most of the atom is empty space.

• At the centre, there is a small, dense, positively charged nucleus.

• Electrons revolve around the nucleus.
  👉 Drawback: Electrons should spiral into the nucleus, which did not happen.

(iii) Bohr’s Model:

• Electrons revolve in fixed energy levels (shells or orbits).

• Energy is emitted or absorbed only when an electron jumps from one shell to another.
  👉 This model was more successful.

6. Neutron’s Importance

• Neutrons keep the nucleus stable.

7. Important Terms

• Mass Number (A): Protons + Neutrons

• Atomic Number (Z): Number of protons

• Isotopes: Same Z, different A (e.g., H¹, H², H³)

• Isobars: Different Z, same A (e.g., Ca⁴⁰, Ar⁴⁰)

📝 NCERT Questions & Answers (Brief)

Q1. What are the three main particles of the atom?

👉 Electron, Proton, Neutron.

Q2. What were the conclusions of Rutherford’s gold foil experiment?

👉

1. Most of the atom is empty space.

2. Positive charge of the atom is concentrated in the nucleus.

3. The nucleus is very small compared to the atom.

Q3. Differentiate between isotopes and isobars.

👉

• Isotopes: Same atomic number (Z), different mass number (A).

• Isobars: Different atomic number (Z), same mass number (A).

Q4. How are electrons arranged in Bohr’s model of the atom?

👉 Electrons are arranged in fixed energy levels (K, L, M, N shells) around the nucleus.

🌍 Conclusion

The atom is not indivisible as Dalton thought. It is made of electrons, protons, and neutrons. Various models helped in understanding its structure, and Bohr’s model became the most accepted.

Detailed Notes 

Facts that Matter

Law of Chemical Combination
Given by Lavoisier and Joseph L. Proust as follows:
1. Law of conservation of mass: Mass can neither be created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction. e.g., A + B → C + D Reactants → Products Mass of reactants = Mass of products

2. Law of constant proportion: In a chemical substance the elements are always present in definite proportions by mass.
E.g., in water, the ratio of the mass of hydrogen to the mass of oxygen is always 1 : 8 respectively.
These laws lacked explanation. Hence, John Dalton gave his theory about the matter. He said that the smallest particle of matter is called ‘atom’.

Dalton’s Atomic Theory

• Every matter is made up of very small or tiny particles called atoms.
• Atoms are not divisible and cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction.
• All atoms of a given element are same in size, mass and chemical properties.
• Atoms of different elements are different in size, mass and chemical properties.
• Atoms combine in the ratio of a small whole number to form compounds.
• The relative number and kinds of atoms are constant in a given compound.

Atom
Atoms are the smallest particles of an element which can take part in a chemical reaction.
Size of an atom: Atomic radius is measured in nanometres.

Symbols of atoms:
(a) Symbols for some elements as proposed by Dalton:

(b) Symbols of some common elements:

Molecule
It is the smallest particle of an element or a compound which can exist independently.

• Molecules of an element constitute the same type of atoms.
• Molecules may be monoatomic, diatomic or polyatomic.
• Molecules of compounds join together in definite proportions and constitute a different type of atoms.

Atomicity
The number of atoms constituting a Molecule is known as its atomicity.

Ions
The charged particles (atoms) are called ions, they are formed by attaining positive charge or negative charge on it.
Negatively charged ion is called anion (Cl–).
Positively charged ion is called cation (Na+).

Valency
The combining capacity of an element is known as its valency. Valency is used to find out how the atom of an element will combine with the atom of another element to form a chemical compound.
(Every atom wants to become stable, to do so it may lose, gain or share electrons.)

• If an atom consists of 1, 2 or 3 electrons in its valence shell then its valency is 1, 2 or 3 respectively,
• If an atom consists of 5, 6 or 7 electrons in the outermost shell, then it will gain 3, 2 or 1 electron respectively and its valency will be 3, 2 or 1 respectively.
• If an atom has 4 electrons in the outermost shell than it will share this electron and hence its valency will be 4.
• If an atom has 8 electrons in the outermost electron and hence its valency will be 0.

Some elements show more than one valency,hence termed as variable valency.

Chemical Formulae
Rules: (i) The valencies or charges on the ion must balance.
(ii) Metal and non-metal compound should show the name or symbol of the
metal first.
e.g., Na+ Cl– → NaCl
(ii) If a compound consists of polyatomic ions. The ion is enclosed in a bracket before writing the number to indicate the ratio.
e.g., [SO4]2- → polyatomic radical
H1+ SO42-  →  H2SO4

Molecular Mass
It is the sum of the atomic masses of all the atoms in a molecule of the substance. It is expressed in atomic mass unit (u).

Formula Unit Mass
It is the sum of the atomic masses of all atoms in a formula unit of a compound. The constituent particles are ions.

Mole Concept
Definition of mole: It is defined as one mole of any species (atoms, molecules, ions or particles) is that quantity in number having a mass equal to its atomic or molecular mass in grams.
1 mole = 6.022 x 1023 in number
Molar mass = mass of 1 mole → is always expressed in grams and is also known as gram atomic mass.
lu of hydrogen has → 1 atom of hydrogen 1g of hydrogen has → 1 mole of hydrogen
= 6.022 x 1023 atoms of hydrogen

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