To illustrate the immutability of an element, imagine a carbon atom. A nuclear reaction is required to alter the nucleus of an atom. Chemical reactions such as burning or bonding into atoms can't alter the nucleus of an atom and can't change an element. The strong nuclear force holds an atom's nucleus together and is difficult to break. The nature and properties of an element are set by the number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus. Atoms combine to form molecules, which are the basis of chemistry.Ĭhemical reactions can't change one element to another. The other 24 elements have been synthesized in particle accelerators and are unable to stay stable for long periods of time these are known as man-made elements. The periodic table of elements has 118 different elements, and 94 of these are known to occur in nature. Na can form an ionic bond with chlorine (Cl) where the sodium loses an electron - becoming Na+ - and gives it to the chlorine atom - which then becomes Cl- to form common table salt. For example, sodium (Na) is a highly reactive element. The same element can also vary in the number of electrons it has, creating ions. However, all three can be classified as the element hydrogen. For example, common hydrogen has one proton and no neutrons, deuterium has one proton and one neutron, and tritium has one proton and two neutrons. Isotopes will have the same chemical properties, but different physical ones. The number of neutrons in the nucleus can vary, creating isotopes. Each element is classified by the number of protons in its nucleus, known as its atomic number.
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