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1. Atomic structure

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  1. 1.1 Particles in the atom and atomic radius

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

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

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

    4. • Describe the distribution of mass and charge within an atom

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

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

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

  2. 1.2 Isotopes

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

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

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

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

  3. 1.3 Electrons, energy levels and atomic orbitals

    1. 1.3.0Scope note

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

    2. 1.3.1Terms

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

    3. 1.3.2Number of orbitals making up s, p and d

      • 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

    4. 1.3.3Order of increasing energy of the sub-shells

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

    5. 1.3.4Electronic configurations to include

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

    6. 1.3.5Electronic configurations

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

    7. 1.3.6Determine the electronic configuration

      • 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)

    8. 1.3.7The electrons in boxes notation

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

    9. 1.3.8And sketch the shapes of s and p orbitals

      • Describe and sketch the shapes of s and p orbitals

    10. 1.3.9Free radical as a species with one or more

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

  4. 1.4 Ionisation energy

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

    2. • Define/use: first ionisation energy, IE

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

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

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

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

    7. • 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

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

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