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Atomic structure and the periodic tableAtomic StructureDrawing Atoms

AQA GCSE · Question 01.5 · Atomic structure and the periodic table

Nucleus

An atom of element Z contains: 3 electrons, 4 neutrons, 3 protons. Complete the diagram to show the position of the particles in an atom of element Z. Use the symbols: × = electron, ● = neutron, ○ = proton.

How to approach this question

1. Identify the location of each particle: protons and neutrons go in the nucleus (the central part), and electrons go in the shells (the circles orbiting the nucleus).\n2. Place the correct number of protons (3 ○) and neutrons (4 ●) inside the nucleus.\n3. Place the electrons (3 ×) in the shells. Remember the first shell can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, and the second shell can hold up to 8. So, place 2 electrons in the first shell and the remaining 1 electron in the second shell.

Full Answer

The structure of an atom of Lithium (element Z) is as follows:\n- **Nucleus:** Contains the protons and neutrons. So, 3 protons (○) and 4 neutrons (●) are placed in the central circle.\n- **Electron Shells:** Contain the electrons. Lithium has 3 electrons. The electron configuration is 2,1. This means 2 electrons (×) are placed on the first shell (the innermost circle), and the remaining 1 electron (×) is placed on the second shell.

Common mistakes

✗ Placing protons or neutrons in the electron shells.\n✗ Placing electrons in the nucleus.\n✗ Incorrect number of electrons in the shells (e.g., all 3 in the first shell).

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