What is an atom | Matter | Physics | FuseSchool

Summary

This educational video delves into the microscopic world of atoms, the building blocks of all matter in the universe. It explains that atoms, though incredibly small and invisible to the naked eye, are composed of subatomic particles: protons and neutrons in the positively charged nucleus, and negatively charged electrons orbiting around it. The video highlights that the atom's mass is concentrated in the nucleus, while the atom's size is much larger due to the electron's orbit. It also touches on the concept of electron shells and their energy levels, setting the stage for understanding the periodic table and the structure of different elements.

Takeaways

• 👀 Atoms are so small that they can't be seen with the naked eye and are barely visible with powerful microscopes.
• 🤔 Everything in the universe, including humans and devices, is made up of atoms.
• 🔢 There are approximately 7 x 10^27 atoms in the human body.
• 💥 Atoms consist of a central nucleus with protons and neutrons, and electrons orbiting around it.
• ⚡ Protons are positively charged, neutrons are neutral, and electrons are negatively charged.
• 🌐 The nucleus is positively charged and attracts the negatively charged electrons, similar to how planets orbit the sun.
• 🌌 The mass of an atom is concentrated in its nucleus, with electrons being much lighter.
• 📏 The radius of an atom is typically 10^-10 meters, making the nucleus much smaller relative to the atom's size.
• 🌀 Electrons orbit the nucleus in specific orbits or shells, and each shell corresponds to a specific energy level.
• 🌟 Electrons closest to the nucleus have the least energy, while those in outer shells have higher energy levels.

Q & A

What are atoms and why are they important?

Atoms are tiny particles that make up all matter in the universe, including our bodies and the device you're using. They are important because they are the building blocks of everything we see and interact with.

How many atoms are estimated to be in the human body?

There are approximately 7 billion billion billion atoms in the human body, which is 7 times 10 to the power of 27 atoms.

What are the subatomic particles that make up an atom?

An atom is made up of a central nucleus containing protons and neutrons, and electrons that orbit the nucleus.

What are the charges of protons, neutrons, and electrons?

Protons are positively charged, neutrons have no charge, and electrons are negatively charged.

How do electrons relate to the nucleus in terms of charge?

Electrons are negatively charged and are attracted to the positively charged nucleus due to electrostatic forces, similar to how planets are attracted to the sun by gravity.

Where is the majority of an atom's mass concentrated?

The majority of an atom's mass is concentrated in its nucleus, which contains protons and neutrons.

How does the mass of an electron compare to that of protons and neutrons?

Electrons are approximately 2,000 times lighter than protons and neutrons.

What is the typical size of an atom measured by?

The size of an atom is typically measured by its radius, which is the distance from the center of the nucleus to the outermost shell of electrons.

What is the approximate radius of an atom?

The radius of an atom is typically 10 to the power of negative 10 meters.

How do electrons orbit the nucleus, and what determines their energy levels?

Electrons orbit the nucleus in specific orbits or shells, with each shell representing a specific energy level. Electrons closer to the nucleus have lower energy levels, while those further away have higher energy levels.

What is the significance of the number of shells or orbitals in an atom?

The number of shells or orbitals in an atom determines the atom's structure and its chemical properties, which in turn influence how it interacts with other atoms.

Outlines

00:00

🔬 Introduction to Atoms

This paragraph introduces atoms as the fundamental building blocks of the universe, too small to be seen with the naked eye and only observable with powerful microscopes. It mentions that everything, including the human body and the device one is using, is composed of atoms. The human body alone contains approximately 7 x 10^27 atoms. The paragraph sets the stage for a deeper exploration of atoms' composition, mass, size, and electron arrangement.

🌌 Subatomic Particles and Atomic Structure

The paragraph delves into the structure of an atom, explaining that atoms are made up of even smaller particles known as subatomic particles. These include a central nucleus containing positively charged protons and neutral neutrons, and negatively charged electrons that orbit the nucleus. The nucleus' overall positive charge attracts the electrons, similar to how planets orbit the sun due to gravity. This section provides a basic understanding of the atom's composition.

🌐 Mass and Size of Atoms

The focus of this paragraph is on the mass and size of atoms. It explains that protons and neutrons have similar masses, while electrons are significantly lighter, approximately 2,000 times lighter. Consequently, the mass of an atom is concentrated in its nucleus. The size of an atom is described in terms of its radius, which is typically 10^-10 meters, indicating that atoms are extremely small, with the nucleus being much smaller relative to the entire atom.

🌌 Electron Shells and Energy Levels

This paragraph discusses the electron shells or orbitals surrounding the nucleus, where electrons exist at specific energy levels. Each shell corresponds to a different energy level, with electrons closest to the nucleus having the least energy and those in higher shells having more. The paragraph uses the analogy of planets orbiting the sun to describe electron movement, emphasizing that electrons can only occupy specific orbits with particular energy levels. It also hints at the diversity in atomic structure across different elements and the role of the periodic table in understanding these variations.

Keywords

💡Atom

An atom is the basic unit of matter that defines the elements and their chemical properties. It consists of a nucleus and electrons orbiting around it. In the video, atoms are described as the building blocks of everything in the universe, including the human body and devices. The concept of atoms is central to understanding the composition of matter.

💡Subatomic Particles

Subatomic particles are smaller components that make up atoms. These include protons, neutrons, and electrons. The video explains that atoms, despite being very small, are composed of even smaller particles, emphasizing the complexity of what we perceive as 'tiny'.

💡Nucleus

The nucleus is the central part of an atom, containing protons and neutrons. It is depicted as the 'core' of the atom in the video, similar to how the sun is the core around which planets orbit. The nucleus holds most of the atom's mass, which is a key point in understanding atomic structure.

💡Protons

Protons are subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom, carrying a positive electric charge. The video mentions that protons are positively charged and, along with neutrons, contribute to the mass of the nucleus. They are essential for understanding atomic number and the electrical properties of elements.

💡Neutrons

Neutrons are neutrally charged subatomic particles also located in the nucleus. They are highlighted in the video as having no charge, which contrasts with protons, and they also contribute to the mass of the atom. Neutrons play a role in the stability of atomic nuclei.

💡Electrons

Electrons are negatively charged subatomic particles that orbit the nucleus. The video uses the analogy of planets orbiting the sun to describe electrons orbiting the nucleus. Electrons are crucial for chemical reactions and determine the chemical properties of elements.

💡Charge

Charge refers to the property of subatomic particles that gives them an electric charge: positive for protons, negative for electrons, and neutral for neutrons. The video explains how the charges of protons and electrons create an electrostatic attraction, similar to gravitational forces.

💡Mass

Mass in the context of atoms refers to the amount of matter in an object, typically concentrated in the nucleus due to protons and neutrons. The video clarifies that electrons contribute very little to the mass of an atom, which is an important concept in atomic physics.

💡Radius

The radius of an atom is the distance from the center (nucleus) to the outermost shell of electrons. The video uses the analogy of a sports arena to illustrate that the nucleus is very small compared to the overall size of the atom, with electrons orbiting at a considerable distance.

💡Shells or Orbitals

Shells or orbitals are the regions around the nucleus where electrons reside. The video explains that electrons occupy specific energy levels or shells, with those further from the nucleus having higher energy. This concept is fundamental to understanding electron configurations and the periodic table.

💡Energy Levels

Energy levels refer to the different potential energies that electrons can have in an atom. The video mentions that electrons closer to the nucleus have lower energy levels, while those further away have higher energy levels. This is key to understanding atomic stability and chemical bonding.

Highlights

Atoms are tiny particles that cannot be seen with the naked eye.

Everything in the universe, including humans and devices, is made up of atoms.

There are approximately 7 x 10^27 atoms in the human body.

Atoms consist of subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons.

The nucleus of an atom contains protons and neutrons.

Protons are positively charged, while neutrons are neutral.

Electrons orbit the nucleus and are negatively charged.

The nucleus and electrons are electrostatically attracted to each other.

The mass of an atom is concentrated in its nucleus.

Electrons are approximately 2,000 times lighter than protons and neutrons.

The radius of an atom is typically 10^-10 meters.

The nucleus is much smaller than the atom as a whole.

Electrons orbit in specific orbits or shells.

Each shell represents a specific energy level.

Electrons closest to the nucleus have the least energy.

Electrons in higher shells have higher energy levels.

The structure of atoms varies between different elements.

The periodic table organizes elements based on their atomic structure.

Transcripts

[Music]

atoms are tiny particles that are so

small they're not possible to see with

the naked eye

and they're only possible barely to make

out with the most powerful microscopes

everything that exists in our universe

is made up of atoms including you i and

the device you're watching this on in

fact there are about 7 billion billion

billion atoms in your body alone

which is 7 times 10 to the 27

atoms

but what is an atom

in this video we are going to look at

what atoms are made of and the mass and

size of atoms and the arrangement of

electrons in an atom

atoms may be tiny particles themselves

but they are made of even smaller

particles called subatomic particles

atoms consist of a central nucleus that

contains protons and neutrons

protons are positively charged and

neutrons have no charge

this makes the nucleus overall

positively charged

much like how the sun has planets

orbiting it the nucleus has electrons

orbiting electrons have a negative

charge

because electrons are negatively charged

and the nucleus is positively charged

they are electrostatically attracted to

each other

like how gravity ensures attraction

between planets and the sun

so that's the general structure of an

atom what about its mass and size

protons and neutrons have the same mass

but electrons are so small they weigh

almost nothing in comparison to protons

and neutrons in fact they are around 2

000 times lighter

as a result the massive electron is

concentrated at its nucleus

so that's the mass of an atom let's talk

about its size

one way to describe the size of an atom

is its radius

the radius of an atom is the distance

from its center where its nucleus is to

the outermost shell of electrons

the radius of an atom is typically 10 to

the power negative 10 meters

which is very small

so the majority of the mass of an atom

is contained in its nucleus but in terms

of size the nucleus is much smaller than

the atom as a whole in fact electrons

can orbit really far away from the

nucleus if the atom was the size of a

sports arena the nucleus could be the

size of a p in the middle

let's finish off by looking at the

electrons in little more detail

negatively charged electrons orbit

around the positive nucleus in specific

orbits or shells

different atoms have different numbers

of shells or orbitals

[Music]

each shell is of a specific energy level

meaning an electron must possess a

certain amount of energy to reside in a

certain shell

electrons and shells closest to the

nucleus have the least energy and

electrons in the altimeter shell have

the highest energy levels

in other words electrons orbit the

nucleus similar to how planets orbit the

sun however electrons can only orbit at

specific distances and with specific

energies

we will look at the differences in

structure of atoms of different elements

and the periodic table in this video

so there we have the structure of an

atom

atoms have a positively charged nucleus

made up of positively charged protons

and neutrally charged neutrons

which is orbited by negatively charged

electrons

the majority of the mass of an atom is

found in the nucleus and the typical

size of atoms is 10 to the power

negative 10 meters

to learn about how we discovered the

existence of atoms and the structure of

atoms watch this video