Parts of an Atom
These are the three main subatomic particles that make up an atom.
What are protons, neutrons, and electrons?
The atomic number of an element specifically tells you the total number of these positive particles in the nucleus.
What are protons?
In any neutral atom, the number of protons must perfectly equal the number of these negatively charged particles.
What are electrons?
This famous scientific chart organizes and displays all known chemical elements based on their atomic numbers.
What is the periodic table?
The three broad categories of elements found on the periodic table are metals, nonmetals, and these in-between elements.
What are metalloids?
This subatomic particle carries a negative electrical charge and orbits the nucleus.
What is an electron?
An atom of Carbon has an atomic number of 6, meaning it possesses this exact number of protons.
What is 6?
If a neutral oxygen atom has 8 protons, it must also have this many electrons.
What is 8?
The horizontal rows running from left to right across the periodic table are known by this term.
What are periods?
Most elements on the periodic table fall into this category and are located on the left side and center of the chart.
What are metals?
This subatomic particle is located in the nucleus and carries no electrical charge.
What is neutron?
An atom of Magnesium has an atomic number of 12, meaning it possesses this exact number of protons.
What is 12?
If a neutral phosphorus atom has 15 protons, it must also have this many electrons.
What is 15?
The vertical columns running from top to bottom on the periodic table are known by this term.
What are groups? or What are families?
These elements, which are poor conductors of heat and electricity, are mostly found on the upper right side of the periodic table.
What are nonmetals?
This positive subatomic particle shares the center of the atom with neutrons.
What is a proton?
The atomic number is vital to chemists because it defines this specific characteristic of an atom.
What is its identity? or What element it is?
If a neutral calcium atom has 20 protons, it must also have this many electrons.
What is 20?
Elements placed within the same vertical column or group often share these traits.
What are chemical properties?
You can find metalloids in this specific geometric pattern separating the metals from the nonmetals.
What is a staircase? or What is a zig-zag line?
This dense central region of the atom contains virtually all of its mass, housing both protons and neutrons.
What is the nucleus?
This value is calculated by adding the total number of protons and neutrons together in an atom's nucleus.
What is the mass number?
This is the net electrical charge of an atom when its number of protons and electrons are perfectly identical.
What is zero? or What is neutral?
The periodic table is arranged in order of this increasing atomic value.
What is atomic number?
Elements in this category share properties of both metals and nonmetals, making them useful as semiconductors.
What are metalloids?