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CAIE IGCSE Chemistry Atomic Structure Overview

Practise completing particle tables, interpreting proton and nucleon numbers and using electron configurations to identify atoms, ions, groups and periods.

Syllabus
2026–2028
Course
Chemistry 0620

Exam points

  • use proton and nucleon numbers to calculate protons, neutrons and electrons in atoms or ions
  • write shell configurations and adjust electron count for positive or negative ion charge
  • infer Periodic Table group from outer electrons and period from the number of occupied shells

Covered syllabus points

2.2.1—Structure of the atom as a central2.2.2—Relative charges and relative masses2.2.3—Proton number/atomic number as the2.2.4—Mass number/nucleon number as the2.2.5—Electronic configuration of elements2.2.6—Periodic table shell rules: (a) Group

2.2 Atomic structure and the Periodic Table question 1

[Maximum number: 4]

This question is about elements X, Y and Z.

Question (a)

(a)

An atom of element X is represented as 1634X{ }_{16}^{34} \mathbf{X}.

[ 4 ]

Question (i)

(i)

Name the different types of particles found in the nucleus of this atom of X.

[ 2 ]

Question (ii)

(ii)

What is the term for the total number of particles in the nucleus of an atom?

[ 1 ]

Question (iii)

(iii)

What is the electronic structure of the ion X2−\mathbf{X}^{2-} ?

[ 1 ]

2.2 Atomic structure and the Periodic Table question 2

[Maximum number: 1]

1122Na,1123Na{ }_{11}^{22} \mathrm{Na},{ }_{11}^{23} \mathrm{Na} and 1124Na{ }_{11}^{24} \mathrm{Na} are isotopes of sodium.

Why do all three isotopes have an overall charge of zero?

2.2 Atomic structure and the Periodic Table question 3

[Maximum number: 3]

The table gives the composition of three particles.

Table for Question 2.2 Atomic structure and the Periodic Table question 3 — CAIE IGCSE Chemistry

Question (a)

(a)

What is the evidence in the table for each of the following?

[ 2 ]

Question (i)

(i)

Particle A is an atom.

[ 1 ]

Question (ii)

(ii)

A, B and C are all particles of the same element.

[ 1 ]

Question (b)

(b)

What is the electronic structure of particle A ?

[ 1 ]
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