PSChem 1 Vocabulary

Protons

• Negatively charged particles found in the nucleus of an atom.

• Positively charged particles found in the nucleus of an atom.

• Neutral particles found in the nucleus of an atom.

• Positively charged particles found outside the nucleus of an atom.

Rutherford

• A physicist who discovered the nucleus of the atom and proposed the nuclear model of the atom.

• A chemist known for his work on the periodic table.

• An astronomer who studied the planets and stars.

• A biologist who developed the theory of evolution.

Plum Pudding

• A model of the atom proposed by J.J. Thomson, where electrons were scattered within a 'soup' of positive charge.

• A theory that describes the atom as indivisible particles.

• A model that depicts the atom as a solid sphere without internal structure.

• A concept that suggests atoms are made up of protons and neutrons only.

Electron Cloud

• A region around the nucleus of an atom where electrons are likely to be found.

• A solid structure that contains protons and neutrons.

• A type of particle that orbits the nucleus in fixed paths.

• A cloud of gas surrounding the atom.

Half Life

• The time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay.

• The time it takes for a substance to double in quantity.

• The time required for a chemical reaction to complete.

• The time it takes for a material to reach thermal equilibrium.

Neutrons

• Charged particles found in the nucleus of an atom.

• Neutral particles found in the nucleus of an atom.

• Particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom.

• Particles that are responsible for the chemical properties of an atom.

Nuclear Fission

• A process where a heavy nucleus splits into smaller nuclei with the release of energy.

• A reaction where two light nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus.

• A method of generating electricity using solar energy.

• A chemical reaction that involves the transfer of electrons.

Aufbau Principle

• A rule that electrons occupy the lowest energy orbitals first.

• A principle stating that electrons can occupy any orbital regardless of energy level.

• A guideline that electrons fill orbitals in pairs before occupying higher energy levels.

• A theory that electrons are distributed randomly among orbitals.

Pauli Exclusion Principle

• A principle stating that no two electrons in an atom can have the same set of four quantum numbers.

• A rule that states electrons can occupy the same orbital if they have opposite spins.

• A theory that explains the behavior of electrons in a magnetic field.

• A concept that describes the arrangement of electrons in different energy levels.

Beta Decay

• A type of radioactive decay in which a beta particle (electron or positron) is emitted from an atomic nucleus.

• A process where an atomic nucleus splits into two smaller nuclei along with the release of energy.

• A reaction in which two atomic nuclei collide at high speed and fuse together.

• A decay process that involves the emission of alpha particles from an atomic nucleus.