Introduction to Atoms and Molecules

Sep 15, 2024

General Chemistry 1 - Chapter 2: Atoms, Molecules, and Ions

Lecture Overview

  • Introduction to fundamental chemical laws
  • Dalton's atomic theory
  • Basic and modern atomic structure
  • Terminology: atomic number, mass number, atomic weight, etc.
  • Molecules, ions, covalent and ionic bonding
  • Introduction to the periodic table and trends
  • Naming simple compounds

Fundamental Chemical Laws

Law of Conservation of Mass

  • Mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction.
  • Example: Methane + Oxygen -> Carbon Dioxide + Water
    • Total mass before = total mass after reaction.

Law of Definite Proportions

  • Compounds always contain the same proportion of elements by mass.

Law of Multiple Proportions

  • When two elements form more than one compound, the masses of one element that combine with a fixed mass of the other are in a ratio of small whole numbers.

Dalton's Atomic Theory (1808)

  1. Elements are made of tiny particles called atoms.
  2. Atoms of the same element are identical; different elements have different atoms.
  3. Compounds are formed by the combination of atoms in fixed ratios.
  4. Chemical reactions involve rearrangement of atoms.

Atomic Structure

Early Models and Discoveries

  • J.J. Thomson (1898): Discovered electrons using cathode ray tubes.
  • Ernest Rutherford (1911): Gold foil experiment led to discovery of nucleus.
  • Niels Bohr: Developed model where electrons orbit the nucleus.

Modern View

  • Atoms consist of a nucleus (protons and neutrons) with electrons in probability clouds.
  • Protons (+), neutrons (0), electrons (-).

Key Terminology

  • Atomic Number (Z): Number of protons in the nucleus.
  • Mass Number (A): Total number of protons and neutrons.
  • Atomic Weight: Weighted average of the masses of all naturally occurring isotopes.

Molecules and Ions

Ions

  • Cations: Positively charged ions (e.g., Na⁺).
  • Anions: Negatively charged ions (e.g., Cl⁻).

Covalent vs. Ionic Bonding

  • Covalent Bonds: Atoms share electrons (can be polar or nonpolar).
  • Ionic Bonds: Electrons are transferred between atoms, forming ions that attract each other.
  • Electronegativity: Ability of an atom to attract electrons in a bond.

The Periodic Table

History and Structure

  • Dmitri Mendeleev: Original periodic table based on atomic weight.
  • Henry Mosley: Revised table based on atomic number.

Periodic Trends

  • Atomic Radius: Decreases left to right; decreases bottom to top.
  • Effective Nuclear Charge: Increases left to right; increases bottom to top.
  • Ionization Energy: Increases left to right; increases bottom to top.
  • Electronegativity: Increases left to right; increases bottom to top.
  • Electron Affinity: Increases left to right; increases bottom to top.

Naming Compounds

Type 1 Binary Ionic Compounds

  • Name the cation first, then the anion.
  • Cation takes element name; anion takes root + "-ide".

Type 2 Binary Ionic Compounds

  • Transition metals capable of forming multiple cations.
  • Use Roman numerals to indicate cation charge.

Binary Covalent Compounds (Type 3)

  • Formed between two nonmetals.
  • Use prefixes to denote number of atoms (mono, di, tri, etc.).

Naming with Polyatomic Ions

  • Recognize and memorize common polyatomic ions.

Acids

  • Without Oxygen: Prefix "hydro-" and suffix "-ic".
  • With Oxygen: Based on anion name:
    • "-ate" becomes "-ic"
    • "-ite" becomes "-ous"

Conclusion

  • Comprehensive coverage of atomic theory, chemical laws, periodic trends, and compound naming.
  • Emphasized importance of understanding foundational concepts and terminology for future chemistry studies.
  • Encouragement to practice problems and engage with course materials.