The Electrical Nature of Matter

Or Where do the charges come from?

Atoms are electrically neutral.

In an atom, the number of protons, is equal to the number of electrons. For example: Oxygen has 8 protons and 8 electrons; that means +8 + -8 = 0 What happens if . . .

. . .that oxygen atom gains electrons?

Oxygen has 8 protons and 8 electrons when an atom. For each electron you add, it adds more negative charge. Lets use the same equation:
+8 + -9 (add an electron) = -1 +8 + -10 (add 2 electrons) = -2

When the total charge is not zero, they are called IONs.

Loosing electrons makes you:

POSITIVE!! Since you are getting rid of (having fewer) negative charges, your overall charge is positive.

Why is it that it is the electrons that are lost or gained?

Think about the picture of an atom you drew in middle school . . . . In the center or nucleus are the protons and neutrons. These are not changed by ordinary actions. But, what happens if you slide your feet across a carpet, when you have socks on? You just picked up loose electrons .

Losing and Gaining Electrons

Electrons on the outer edges (Valence Electrons) are not being pulled very tightly by the protons in the nucleus Also atoms have certain configurations of outer electrons that they prefer THEY ALL WANT TO HAVE 8 ELECTRONS!! Atoms will loose or gain electrons to achieve these configurations forming IONS

Valence Electrons- s & p only

Group 1 = 1 Valence eGroup 2 = 2 Valence eGroup 13 = 3 Valence eGroup 14 = 4 Valence eGroup 15 = 5 Valence eGroup 16 = 6 Valence e-

Group 17 = 7 Valence eGroup 18 = 8 Valence e-

Atoms will lose or gain electrons to get 8 VALENCE e- (remember not 8 total, 8 outer e-)

Metals Like to Lose

Elements in group 1A, 2A, and 3A like to lose electrons (a.k.a. groups 1, 2, & 13) Losing electrons = POSITIVE CHARGE (+) +1 Group 1 elements tend to have a ____ charge. +2 Group 2 elements tend to have a ____ charge. +3 Group 13 elements tend to have a ____ charge.

Non-Metals Like to Gain

Elements in group 15, 16, and 17 like to gain electrons Gaining electrons = NEGATIVE CHARGE (-) -3 Group 15 elements tend to have a ____ charge. -2 Group 16 elements tend to have a ____ charge. -1 Group 17 elements tend to have a ____ charge.

What about 4A and 8A??

Elements in group 14 can go either way. They can either lose or gain 4 electrons, so they prefer to share . . . Lose electrons = + 4 Gain electrons = - 4 Group 18) have a very stable configuration and do not lose or gain electrons unless a great deal of energy is added. Therefore they do not form IONS.

Mass Number
The sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom of a particular element. Remember the number in the square is an average of all of the isotopes of that element. Isotopes have different numbers of neutrons, but the same number of protons

For each element below, give #protons, #neutrons and preferred ionic charge:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Sodium Aluminum Magnesium Fluorine Oxygen Potassium Calcium Silicon Arsenic 10. Bromine 11. Carbon 12. Sulfur 13. Boron 14. Lithium 15. Chlorine 16. Argon 17. Hydrogen 18. Germanium