Student Name: ______Period: ______Score: ______
Lab 12 Atomic Structures – A peek into the composition of atoms
Introduction: The simplest models of atoms describe atoms as being composed of three major subatomic particles: the protons and the neutrons make up the nucleus and are similar in mass, and electrons may be found in a cloud (an electron cloud or orbital is a probability map, where you would probably find an electron) and have negligible mass. According to the model, all atoms contain the same kinds of elementary particles but may differ in the number of each particle. This accounts for the presence of isotopes (varied neutrons) and ions (varied electrons) for the different elements.
Objective: This activity will allow you to use what you know about the composition of an atom, as well as isotopes and ions, to describe sixteen different atoms.
Purpose: Students will collect data and relate number of subatomic particles to atomic number (Z), mass number (A), electrical charge (C), atomic symbol (Y), and the IUPAC name of the element.
Materials: Ziploc bags representing 16 different atoms; the models are contained in Ziploc bags and the subatomic particles are coded as follows:
Protons – black beans Neutrons – white beans Electrons – green peas
Procedure: Analyze each Ziploc bag (atom) and record its vital statistics in the data table provided.
Data Analysis: 1. List all sets of isotopes. How do you know they are isotopes? 2. List all sets of ions. How do you know they are ions?
Conclusions: Charles Hatchett in 1801 could tell that there was an unknown element in the columbite mineral found in 1734, but he was not able to isolate it. He named the new element columbium. William Hyde Wollaston compared the minerals columbite and tantalite and declared that columbium was actually the element tantalum. Heinrich Rose in 1844 rediscovered columbite but renamed it niobium. Niobium is used as in jewelry and superconductivity. Using a table similar to table 1, compare niobium and tantalum. Which element has the most protons, neutrons, and electrons?
Extra Credit: Read the IUPAC report and provide a summary of the information. http://old.iupac.org/reports/provisional/abstract04/RB-prs310804/Chap3-3.04.pdf
Adapted from http://www.hschem.org/Laboratory/labs.htm July 12, 2010 Student Name: ______Period: ______Score: ______
Data Table 1: Atomic Structures
Bag # # of # of # of Atomic Mass Electrical Chemical Name Protons Neutrons Electrons Number Number Charge Symbol 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Adapted from http://www.hschem.org/Laboratory/labs.htm July 12, 2010