Radioactive decay happens when an unstable nucleus changes into the nucleus of a more stable (different) element. We know that elements are defined by the number of protons in their nucleus so the only way for an atom to change into something else is by either increasing or decreasing the number of protons that it … Continue reading Alpha and Beta Nuclear Decay
Atoms: Vital Statistics
In a previous article, I recapped the key facts you need to know about atoms. Here we will look at the numerical information you need to remember and the concept of isotopes. The table below lists the essental information you need to know about the three sub-atomic particles; protons, neutrons and electrons. There is an … Continue reading Atoms: Vital Statistics
Revising Atomic Structure
Tucked away inside a website of astronomy resources I have just found a brilliant little tool for revising atomic structure, which is required knowledge for AQA Trilogy (and other) GCSE examinations in both physics and chemistry. You can find it at https://astro.unl.edu/newRTs/nuclei/. The assessment is a two-part, drag-and-drop ranking exercise where you have to rearrange … Continue reading Revising Atomic Structure
Electron Shells
The idea of electron shells is essential in chemistry and also plays an important part in various areas of physics so needs to be discussed in its own right. But before we look at electron shells let's be clear that this is just a model - a way of imagining what is going on inside … Continue reading Electron Shells
Atoms – basic ideas
The original idea of an atom came from asking a very simple question: if you take a substance and cut it into smaller and smaller pieces, is there a limit to how many times you can keep cutting it into smaller pieces? When this question was originally asked, back in ancient Greece around 400 BC, … Continue reading Atoms – basic ideas
Radioactivity: Basics and Test
This post highlights the fundamental knowledge and key skills that form the basics of radioactivity. There is also a short online test for you to check your understanding. The first things you need to know are descriptions of the atom (how models have changed with time) and what causes "radioactivity". These two fundamentals are covered … Continue reading Radioactivity: Basics and Test
Atomic Number and Atomic Mass
When you learned about the Periodic Table during KS3, you were told that it lists all the elements in order of their atomic number. You should also have learned that every element has two numbers; the smaller value is the element's atomic number and the larger value is the element's atomic mass. The value for … Continue reading Atomic Number and Atomic Mass
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