Review: Atoms, Elements and the Periodic Table
Atoms contain neutrons (no charge),
protons (+ charge) and electrons (-
charge)
A compound can be a molecule or a
lattice
Protons+ neutrons = mass number
and protons = atomic number
The periodic table organises elements
based on chemical properties
The different electron shells can hold
different numbers of electrons
An atom without a full valence shell
will gain/loose electrons to stabilise.
Nonmetal ions have different names
to their atoms
Reactivity depends on two factors
- Number of valence electrons
- How far away they are from
the nucleus
The size of an atom is called its atomic
radius
The reactivity of metals increases
down a group, but the reactivity of
nonmetals decreases down the group
The alkali metals are group 1
The alkali earth metals are group 2
The transition metals are groups 3-12
The halogens are group 17
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- The nucleus is a tight, dense bundle of protons and neutrons
o Protons and neutrons weigh approximately 1800 times
more than electrons
o Electrons orbit around the nucleus in orbitals
- Atoms can chemically bind to other atoms, creating compounds
o Molecules consists of nonmetal atoms that are
chemically bonded together
o Lattices are grid-like structures bonded together
- Isotopes are atoms with different mass numbers
- Elements are organised by increasing atomic number
o Period are the horizonal rows
o Groups are the vertical columns
- When the lowest energy shell is full, electrons start to fill the
next lowest
o The first can hold up to 2 electrons
o The second can hold 8
o The third can hold 8-18
- When an atom gains or loses an electron, it becomes charged
o A charged atom is called an ion
- Add -ide to the end of their names for nonmetals
- Metals stay the same
o Atoms that could form more than one ion get roman
numerals which show charge (i.e. iron (III) ion is 𝐹𝑒 #$ )
- Atoms without full valence shells react with other atoms by
gaining/losing/sharing electrons in bonds to achieve stability
o Atoms with the same number of valence electrons
usually react in the same way
o Group 18 is the noble gasses, which are unreactive
because full valence shells
- Atoms which are closer to stability are more reactive
- Atomic radius increases going down each group
o The further away the nucleus and electrons get, the
weaker the force that attracts them becomes
- For metals, it’s easier to lose valence electrons as atomic radius
increases
- For nonmetals, it’s harder to gain valence electrons as atomic
radius increases
- Physical properties: soft, low melting points, low densities
o Chemical properties: very reactive
- Physical properties: soft, high melting points, high boiling
points, malleable, high electrical conductivity
o Chemical properties: somewhat reactive
- Physical properties: hard, high melting points, high boiling
points, malleable, high electrical conductivity
o Chemical properties: unreactive, corrosion resistant
 - Physical properties: low melting point, low boiling point, toxic
The noble gasses are group 18 o Chemical properties: highly reactive
- Physical properties: low boiling points
o Chemical properties: inert (extremely unreactive)
Democritus model (400 B.C)
- Democritus thought if you subdivided an object as much as
possible, you’d be left with the object’s atoms
o Problem: failed to explain almost all aspects of matter
and was based on no empirical evidence.
Plum Pudding model (1904)
- Thompson thought electrons ran around in a uniformly
positively charged ‘soup’
o Problem: Failed to account for how the electrons
remained contained in the atom
Rutherford model (1911)
- Rutherford thought atoms where mostly empty space with
electrons orbiting in paths around the positively charged
nucleus
o Discover the nucleus by bombarding gold foil with alpha
particles
o Problem: electron orbitals are best described in
probability distributions

- Peer review, experimentation and scepticism ensures that the

scientific community continues to better explain the natural
world

Atoms contain, neutrons, electrons and protons. Isotopes are atoms with different mass numbers, while ions are
charged atoms. If you have a nonmetal ion, you drop the end and attach -ide. Reactivity depends on atomic radius
and valency.

Naming Compounds and Bonding

Ionic bonding: when an atom needs - Creates a positively charged cation and a negatively charged
to lose/gain valence electrons and anion which are attracted to each other.
donates to another atom o Between metals and nonmetals
o Many atoms ionically bonded together form a lattice

Covalent bonding: when atoms share - The number of valence electrons an atom has determines how
valence electrons many covalent bonds it can form
o Between nonmetals

Metallic bonds: when metals bond by - This results in a lattice of cation with a sea of delocalised
sharing electrons between many electrons moving between them
atoms o Electrons are attracted to each cation equally

Naming ionic compounds - Charge of each ion can be deduced from the periodic table
- Always name metal first and o Sodium is in group 1, so it loses 1 electron, 𝑁𝑎$
nonmetal second o Aluminium is in group 3, so it will lose 3 electrons, 𝐴𝑙 #$
- Change last three letters to ide

Disclaimer: This may not contain everything that could possibly be assessed in the test.
 - Sometimes the charge of an ion is the result of a compound and
not a single element
Polyatomic ions o A polyatomic ion is two covalently bonded nonmetals
with charge

Electronegativity is a measure of how - Trend heads diagonally up the periodic table, starting from
easily an atom can attract an extra francium to fluorine.
electron

Naming covalent compounds - First element named is the least electronegative

- Determine the ratio
- Write the name using mono, di
and tri prefixes and add ide
When in doubt about the ratio, draw
a diagram!
o Don’t use mono with the first
- Second element named is the most electronegative
- For nitrogen and iodine, Nitrogen triiodide 𝑁𝐼#
o Nitrogen is in group 5, so it wants to gain 3 electrons
o Iodine is in group 7, so it wants to gain 1 electron
o We need 3 iodine atoms to make nitrogen stable
o Nitrogen is more electronegative then iodine

Ionic bonding happens between metals and nonmetals, creating a cation and anion which are attracted to each
other. Covalent bonding happens between nonmetals, in which the nonmetals share valence electrons. To name
ionic compounds, first order the metal and the nonmetal, then change the last three letters of the nonmetal to
ide. To name covalent compounds, in order of ascending electronegativity, then determine the ratio, then finish
by adding prefixes (but not mono on the second nonmetal).

Types of Reactions

Chemical reaction: a process that - Reactants are the substances which interact with each other to
involves the rearrangement of the initiate a chemical equation a chemical
atomic structure of a substance - Products are the substances formed from the reaction
- We write the word equation: Reactants → Products

Conservation of Mass: Mass is never
lost or gained during a chemical
reaction
- Mass is determined by how many atoms are in a subject
- The mass of the products is the same as the mass of the
reactants
o Matter is never made or lost
- Bonds are broken and remade

Balanced equation: there is the same - By the Conservation of Mass rule, unbalanced equations are
number of each type of atom on the wrong
left and right of the arrow

To balance an equation: - For example, the equation 𝐻- + 𝑂- → 𝐻- 𝑂 is unbalanced

- Write a chemical formula o Add 𝐻- + 𝐻- + 𝑂- → 𝐻- 𝑂 + 𝐻- 𝑂
- Balance by adding more o Simplify 2𝐻- + 𝑂- → 2𝐻- 𝑂
reactant or product - In a word equation: Hydrogen + Oxygen → Hydrogen Dioxide
- Simplify using coefficients

Acids dissolve in water to create - In water: Acid → Positive Hydrogen Ion + Negative Ion
hydrogen ions o Reactive, corrosive and conduct electricity

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 Bases dissolve in water to create - In water: Base → Negative Hydroxide Ion + Positive Ion
hydroxide ions o Reactive, taste bitter, feel slippery and conduct
electricity

State symbols show the physical state - Solid (s), gas (g), liquid (l), dissolved in water (aq)
of the substance at reaction o Water is not aqueous but at some temperature, a liquid.
temperature

Acid + Metal reaction - Acid + Metal → Salt + Hydrogen gas

Combination/Synthesis reaction - 𝐴 + 𝐵 → 𝐴𝐵

Decomposition reaction - 𝐴𝐵 → 𝐴 + 𝐵

Neutralisation reaction - Acid + Base → Salt + Water

Double Displacement reaction - 𝐴𝐵(𝑎𝑞) + 𝐶𝐷(𝑎𝑞) → 𝐴𝐷(𝑠) + 𝐶𝐵(𝑎𝑞)

Single Displacement reaction - 𝐴(𝑠) + 𝐵𝐶(𝑎𝑞) → 𝐴𝐶(𝑎𝑞) + 𝐵(𝑠)

Combustion reaction - Fuel + Oxygen → Carbon Dioxide + Water

Reactants react with each other to form products. The law of Conservation of Mass states that the mass of the
reactants is the same as the mass of the products. Chemical equations which are not balanced are wrong. Acids
and bases react.

Rates of Reaction

For a reaction to occur: - Change the rate of reaction by changing either how may
- Reactants need to collide collisions occur, or how effective the collisions are
- The collision needs to be o Reactions happen when particles collide
effective

Raising temperature increases the - Increasing the temperature of a solution increases the average
likelihood of a reaction kinetic energy of its constituents, making the reaction faster
o Temperature is a measure of the average speed of
particles

Increasing the concentration of - Particles can only collide if they come into contact
reactants increases the likelihood of a o More particles mean more contact and hence possibly
reaction more reactions

Increasing the surface area of a solid - Increasing the surface area of a solid reactant increases its
reactant increases the likelihood of a exposure to other reactants
reaction

Stirring or agitating a solution - Increases the likelihood that the reactants will be correctly
increases the likelihood of a reaction oriented, also increases the number collisions

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 Catalyst: something that lowers the
activation energy required for a
reaction to take place
Exothermic reactions release energy
into the environment
- Catalysts are particles that edit the orientations of reactants in a
chemical reaction to ensure the reactants collide
o Catalysts do not undergo any chemical change in a
reaction
- If the amount of energy in the reactant bonds is more than the
amount of energy in the product bonds, extra energy will be
released

Endothermic reactions absorb energy - If the amount of energy in the reactant bonds is less than the
from the environment amount of energy in the product bonds, extra energy will be
absorbed
Chemical reactions require reactants to be of proper orientation and sufficient energy. They may be sped up by
raising temperature, increasing concentration and surface area of reactants, agitating the reactants, and
introducing catalysts. Exothermic reactions release energy and endothermic reactions absorb energy.

Chemistry in the World

The pH scale measures the acidity of a - Acids have pH 1-7, which strong acids at 1 and weak acids closer
solution between 0-14 to 7
- Bases have pH 7-14, which strong bases at 14 and weak bases
closer to 7

Acid rain is a consequence of
increases of carbon, sulphur and
nitrogen dioxides
- The man-made increase of sulphur and nitrogen dioxides means
more sulfuric and nitric acids form in rain
o These lower the pH of rainwater, making it acidic and
reactive
- Acid rain reacts with compounds such as marble and limestone
(calcium carbonate)

When metal oxides react with carbon
dioxide, metal carbonate is produced
Acid + metal carbonate reaction
Photosynthesis is an endothermic
reaction
- Corrosion reaction: Metal + Oxygen → Metal Oxide
- Acid + Metal Carbonate → Salt + Carbon Dioxide + Water
Energy
- Carbon Dioxide + Water 9⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯; Glucose
Chlorophyll
+ Oxygen Gas

The greenhouse effect is what heats - The atmosphere traps infrared radiation and light, which keeps
Earth the Earth warm
o This is done through greenhouse gases which absorb
that radiation, i.e. carbon and nitrogen dioxides
- Carbon dioxide is made by burning hydrocarbons
- Nitrogen dioxide is made in the combustion chambers of cars
o Greenhouse gases are a leading cause of climate change

Acid rain erodes marble and limestone, as well as making rainwater reactive and acidic. Corrosion is the reaction
of a metal and oxygen to form a metal oxide. Photosynthesis uses chlorophyll and energy to convert carbon
dioxide and water to glucose and oxygen gas. The greenhouse effect is increased by greenhouse gasses like carbon
and nitrogen dioxides.

Disclaimer: This may not contain everything that could possibly be assessed in the test.
 Year 10 Chemistry Rotation Outcomes List

Periodic Table of the Elements (revision from year 9)

1. describe the organisation of elements in the Periodic Table using their atomic number
2. relate the properties of some common elements to their position in the Periodic Table
3. predict, using the Periodic Table, the properties of some common elements
4. outline historical developments of the atomic theory to demonstrate how models and theories have been
contested and refined over time through a process of review by the scientific community

Types of Chemical Reactions and the Law of Conservation of Mass

1. identify a range of compounds using their common names and chemical formulae
2. identify some examples of important chemical reactions that occur in living systems and involve energy
transfer, including respiration and reactions involving acids such as occur during digestion
3. construct word equations from observations and written descriptions of a range of chemical reactions
4. deduce that new substances are formed during chemical reactions by rearranging atoms rather than
creating or destroying them
5. investigate a range of types of important chemical reactions that occur in non-living systems and involve
energy transfer, including:
– combustion
– the reaction of acids including metals and carbonates
– corrosion
– precipitation
– neutralisation
– decomposition

Chemical Reactions, Energy and Rates

1. identify that chemical reactions involve energy transfer and can be exothermic or endothermic
2. describe the effects of factors, e.g. temperature and catalysts, on the rate of some common chemical
reactions
3. compare combustion and respiration as types of chemical reactions that release energy but occur at
different rates
4. analyse how social, ethical and environmental considerations can influence decisions about scientific
research related to the development and production of new materials

Author: Matthew Raymond

Last Revision: 15/2

Disclaimer: This may not contain everything that could possibly be assessed in the test.