Periodic Table, Atoms, & Reactions of Ionic Compounds

What is Chem? Why Study?

- Study of matter
- Explains the world around you
- Central Science

Atom
- All matter is made up of atoms, these atoms are made up of subatomic particles:
o Protons: form the nucleus
o Neutrons: form the nucleus
o Electrons: outside the nucleus
- P & N are tightly packed in nucleus
- E floats around in empty space

Properties of Subatomic Particles

 - Note: p & n are of similar masses but e is ~ 1/1800 of the mass of a proton

Atomic Number
- The number of p in the nucleus determines what the element is
- All elements have same number of e or p
- All elements known are collected on periodic table & represented by an atomic
symbol & an atomic no.
- Mass number = no. of p + n
- Isotope: the no. of neutrons can change within an element
- Mass no. is mass of single atoms, relative atomic mass (on pt) is avg weight of
element

Periodic Table

- E.g. element with atomic number 4 will have 4 p and 4 e

- 89-103: actinides
- 57-71: lanthanides
Relative atomic mass
- Based on abundance of certain isotopes of an individual element
- How is it determined?
o A sample of an element will contain a mixture of isotopes
o Calculated by using atomic mass of the isotopes (nuclide mass) & their
fractional abundance (how common are they)
o E.g. We use weighted average so if you’re element is 20% 16 amu , and 80 %
17:
(0.2 x 16) + (0.8 x 17) = 16.8 amu

Molecules
- Formed when atoms bond with each other
- A water molecule contains 2 hydrogen & 1 oxygen atom bonded to each other
- Some elements exist as molecules i.e. Hydrogen exists as H2 molecules

Atoms, molecules, compounds and mixtures

- Atoms: particles that make up all substances
- Molecules: atoms that have bonded
- Compounds: pure substances consisting of atoms of more than 1 element. Have
FIXED composition
- Mixtures: not pure substances & contain a combination of atoms, molecules &
compounds

Compounds
- Represented by a chemical formula
- Chemical formula of a compound represents the ‘relative’ no, of atoms of each
element by subscripts

- Can be classified as:

o Ionic: metal & a non-metal, made from ions
o Covalent: only contains non-metals

Ions
- Formed by electrons are added or removed from an atom
- If an atom (e.g. sodium), loses 1 electron – it will become a +ly charged ion
 - Cations: +ly charged ions

Cations
- Atoms can lose more than 1 electron to form diff charged ions
- E.g. Magnesium

- Goes from the element Mg to the ion Mg2+

Ions
- Some elements can gain electrons to form -ly charged ions

- Anions: -ly charged ions

Anions
- Atoms can gain > than 2 electrons to form diff charged ions
- E.g. Oxygen

- Goes from the element O, to the ion O2-

Ionic compounds
- When these ions are formed, they can become attracted to each other to form new
ionic compounds
- E.g. NaCl
 - They are held together by electrostatic attraction (ionic bonds) to form an ionic
lattice (held together not bonded)
o Between +ly & -ly charged ions
- Since the attraction is so strong, it required a lot of (heat) energy to break them
o All ionic compounds will be solid at room temp
o Have very high melting points (NaCl - 800C)
- The attraction can’t be that strong … salt dissolves in water
- Water is able to individually tear apart the ionic lattice to reform the ions

States of matter
- Solid (s)
- Liquid (l)
- Gas (g)
- Aqueous (dissolved in water) (aq)
Solubility of ionic compounds
- Soluble: when water can dissolve an ionic compound
- Insoluble: do not dissolve in water
- Precipitate: an insoluble solid formed when 2 solutions containing soluble ionic
compounds are mixed

Ionic compounds
- Can be formed from a range of diff anions & cations
- Simple anions & cations are charged element (e.g. Cl-, Na+, Ca2F-)
- Complex ions are compounds that have a charge (OH-, NO3-, SO42-, CO32-)

Predicting charges
- In the case of some simple ions, we can predict the ionic charge from the position of
the element on the periodic table
- Metal atoms tend to lose electrons to become cations
 - Non-metal atoms tend to gain electrons to form anions
- The no. of electrons an atom loses or gains is related to its position on the periodic
table

Ionic Formula
- When ionic compounds are formed, they need to be ‘electronically neutral’
- I.e. the total +ve charge = total -ve charge
- Na+ + Cl- = NaCl ( 1 + ( – 1 ) = 0)
- Na+ + SO42- = Na2SO4 (2 x +1 ) + ( – 2 ) = 0
- Mg2+ + OH- = Mg(OH)2 ( +2 + (2 x - 1 )) = 0

Ionic compounds – complex ions

- Need to use parentheses to say there are multiple of that ion
- Pb2+ + 2OH-  Pb(OH)2 – NOTE the use of parentheses, there is a diff between OH2
and (OH)2
- NH4+ + SO42-  (NH4)2SO4 – NOTE (NH4)2 is diff from NH42

Naming ionic compounds

- Cation is writing 1st, then anion (for simple anions change end to -ide)
o NaCl – sodium chloride
- Numerical info is generally not needed
o Na2SO4 – sodium sulphate (not disodium sulphate)
- The use of roman numerals will indicate the valence of the cation if it has multiple
valences
o CoCl2 (cobalt(II) chloride)
o CoCl3 (cobalt(III) chloride)

Precipitation reactions
- Used to determine if solid can be formed
- Why? Large number of possible ionic compounds & we may not be able to obtain
sample of a compound to test its solubility
- By mixing 2 solutions containing diff ions we can work backwards to figure out:
o Formula of a compound formed
o Solubility rules of ionic compounds

Ions
- Solubility rules of ionic compounds (used to explain why certain compounds are
formed when 2 solutions are mixed)
Chemical reactions between ions
- Important reactions types

Ions

- Spectator ions: ions that are not involves in the reaction

o i.e. they start at (aq) ions, & end as (aq) ions
o e.g. Na+ & NO3- did not help form the product
- If something changes state, it needs to be in equation:
o (aq)  (s)

Net ionic equations

Ions
- Reactions with (aq) solutions do not always give precipitates

Periodic Table – Group 1

- Alkali metals
- Not very dense & have low melting points but very reactive
- Have to be stored under oil to minimise reaction with air & water

Group 2
- Known as the alkaline earths
- Quiet reactive
- Stored under oil to minimise reaction with air & water

Group 15
- Often known as nitrogen group
- N & P are non-metals
- Mainly involved in forming covalent compounds though some anions (e.g. N 3-) are
known

Group 16
- Often known as chalcogens (‘chalk formers’)
- O & S are non-metals
- Mainly involved in forming covalent compounds though some anions (e.g. S 2-) are
known

Group 17
- Often known as halogens (‘salt formers’)
 - All non-metals
- Elements exist as diatomic molecules (e.g. Cl2, I2)
- Very reactive. E.g. chlorine is not found free in nature but is only present in
compounds

Group 18
- Known as noble gases
- Elements exist as atoms (e.g. Xe, Kr)
- Present in very small quantities in the atmosphere
- Very unreactive
- Unreactivity of the noble gases makes them useful when an inert atmosphere is
needed such as for arc welding