Edexcel Combined Science CC3 – Atomic structure – Flashcards
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atom
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Atoms are small particles from which all substances are made. They are the smallest neutral part of an element that can take part in chemical reactions.
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electron
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Tiny particle with a negative charge that is found in shells around the nucleus of an atom.
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electron shell
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Area around a nucleus that can be occupied by electrons, usually drawn as a circle (in 'target diagrams'). Also called an electron energy level or an 'orbit'.
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element
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A simple substance made up of only one type of atom.
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neutron
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Electrically neutral subatomic particle found in the nucleus of most atoms.
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nucleus
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The positively charged centre of an atom.
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proton
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A positively charge subatomic particle in the nucleus of all atoms.
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relative charge
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The electric charge of a subatomic particle compared to the charge on a proton.
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relative mass
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The mass of a subatomic particle compared to the mass of a proton.
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subatomic particles
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The smaller particles that make up atoms - protons, neutrons and electrons.
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atomic number
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The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom (symbol Z). Also known as the proton number.
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mass number
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The total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom (symbol A). Also known as the nucleon number.
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periodic table
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Chart in which the elements are arranged in order of increasing atomic number.
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Ar
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Symbol for relative atomic mass (RAM).
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isotopes
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Atoms of an element with the same number of protons (atomic number) but different mass numbers due to different numbers of neutrons.
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mean
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An average calculated by adding up the values of a set of measurements and dividing by the number of measurements in the set.
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nuclear fission
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The reaction in which the nucleus of a large atom, such as uranium, splits into two smaller nuclei.
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relative atomic mass (RAM)
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The mean mass of an atom relative to the mass of an atom of carbon-12, which is assigned a mass of 12. The RAM of an element is the mean relative mass of the isotopes in the element.
