1. Atomic structure

1.1.1Atomic structure and nucleus

• Understand: atoms are mostly empty space around a small dense nucleus (protons/neutrons); electrons occupy shells.

1.1.2Protons, neutrons and electrons

• Identify/describe: protons, neutrons and electrons in terms of their relative charges and masses

1.1.3Terms: atomic and proton number, mass

• Know terms: atomic and proton number, mass and nucleon number

1.1.4Distribution of mass and charge within an atom

• Describe the distribution of mass and charge within an atom

1.1.5Behaviour of beams of protons, neutrons

• Describe the behaviour of beams of protons, neutrons and electrons moving at the same velocity in an electric field

1.1.6Determine the numbers of protons, neutrons

• Determine the numbers of protons, neutrons and electrons present in both atoms and ions given atomic/proton number, mass/nucleon number and charge

1.1.7Trends: the variations in atomic radius

• State/explain trends: the variations in atomic radius and ionic radius across a period and down a group

• Define: isotope in terms of numbers of protons and neutrons

• Understand the notation x y A for isotopes, where x is the mass/nucleon number and y is the atomic/proton number

• State that and explain why isotopes of the same element have the same chemical properties

• State that and explain why isotopes of the same element have different physical properties, limited to mass and density

• In 1.3 each atom or ion described will be in the ground state. Only the elements hydrogen to krypton will be assessed.

• Know terms:: shells, sub-shells and orbitals; principal quantum number (n); ground state, limited to electronic configuration

• Describe the number of orbitals making up s, p and d sub-shells, and the number of electrons that can fill s, p and d sub-shells

• Describe the order of increasing energy of the sub-shells within the first three shells and the 4s and 4p sub-shells

• Describe the electronic configurations to include the number of electrons in each shell, sub-shell and orbital

• Explain the electronic configurations in terms of energy of the electrons and inter-electron repulsion

• Determine the electronic configuration of atoms and ions given the atomic/proton number and charge, using either of the following conventions: e.g. for Fe: 1s22s22p63s23p63d64s2 (full electronic configuration) or [Ar] 3d64s2 (shorthand electronic configuration)

• Understand and use the electrons in boxes notation e.g. for Fe: [Ar]

• Describe and sketch the shapes of s and p orbitals

• Describe a free radical as a species with one or more unpaired electrons

• In 1.4 each atom or ion described will be in the ground state. Only the elements hydrogen to krypton will be assessed.

• Define/use: first ionisation energy, IE

• Construct equations to represent first, second and subsequent ionisation energies

• Identify/explain: the trends in ionisation energies across a period and down a group of the Periodic Table

• Identify/explain: the variation in successive ionisation energies of an element

• Understand: ionisation energies are due to the attraction between the nucleus and the outer electron

• Explain the factors influencing the ionisation energies of elements in terms of nuclear charge, atomic/ionic radius, shielding by inner shells and sub-shells and spin-pair repulsion

• Deduce the electronic configurations of elements using successive ionisation energy data

• Deduce the position of an element in the Periodic Table using successive ionisation energy data