Calculation Worksheet Print

Activity 2: Atomic Math and Shorthand
Objectives
Students will use information from the periodic table to calculate the number of protons,
neutrons and electrons in a neutral atom.
NOTE: Students should be familiar atomic structure and particles. The atomic shorthand
information may serve as an introduction to Activity 6: Radioactive Decay Chain.
Next Generation Science Standards

The concepts in this activity can be used to support the following science standard:
 PS1. Structure and Properties of Matter.
Materials and Resources

 Evolution of a Radioactive Atom: Teacher Background Information.
 Vocabulary Materials.
 Several objects that represent or are made of different elements (e.g., gold ring, copper
twine or pipe or lead from a pencil).
 Periodic Table of Elements (one per student, pair or group).
 Atomic Calculations Worksheet (one per student, pair or group) and Atomic Calculations
Teacher Answer Key.
 Radiation Baseball game sheet (re-create on the board; print and use; or print, laminate
and use with a dry erase marker).
Time
45-60 minutes, not including optional activities or extensions.
Vocabulary
 Atom
 Electron
 Isotope
 Neutron
 Nucleus
 Proton
U.S. EPA Education Activities: Evolution of a Radioactive Atom Page 15 of 44

Directions
1. Start with a vocabulary activity if students are not familiar with radiation and the terms used
in this activity, or provide students with the terms and definitions.
2. Explain that all matter is made up of elements, some of which we can see (e.g., metals) and
others we cannot (e.g., colorless gases). The smallest form of elements and all matter is
atoms. Display two or more objects representing different elements (e.g., gold ring, copper
twine or pipe or lead from a pencil) for students to identify.
3. Ask students how the atoms of these elements are similar and how they differ. All atoms
are made up of the same particles: protons, neutrons and electrons. The atoms of
each element have a unique number of protons, neutrons and electrons.
4. Provide students with the Periodic Table of Elements.
5. Ask students what data on the periodic table can be used to determine the atomic structure
of an atom. The atomic number indicates the number of protons and the number of
electrons in an atom. Each element has a unique atomic number. The atomic mass is
used to calculate the number of neutrons by subtracting the atomic mass from the
atomic number.
6. Select an element or use the objects you showed at the beginning of the activity. Work
through an example of how to use the periodic table to determine the atomic structure of the
element. Reference the Determining the Structure of a Neutral Atom section of the Evolution
of a Radioactive Atom: Teacher Background Information.
7. Provide students with a copy of the Atomic Calculations Worksheet. Direct them to complete
the handout using the periodic table as a reference.
8. Optional activity or extension: NOTE: This information may serve as a prerequisite for
Activity 6: Radioactive Decay Chain.
 Explain that as scientists identified the nuclear properties of elements and found different
forms of elements (called isotopes), they needed an easy way to write and keep track of
the basic nuclear properties. Scientists developed atomic shorthand that combines the
defining pieces of information about the various forms of an element. There is more than
one way the shorthand may be written as shown in the examples.
 Display the following:
o X = the chemical symbol of an element.
A A
zX ZX
o A = the atomic mass of an element (number
of protons and neutrons).
o Z = the atomic number of an element (number
 Ask students to describe the of protons).
notations in the examples.
 Display the following (or similar) examples of elemental shorthand or notations and ask
students to decipher them. The notations are for two forms (or isotopes) of iron with
different atomic masses: iron-54 and iron-56.
54 56
54 56
26Fe 26Fe 26 Fe 26 Fe

9. Play Radiation Baseball to test students’ newly acquired knowledge.
 Prepare questions in advance or have students create questions for the game (e.g.,
Identify the number of protons in an iron (Fe) atom. How many nucleons are in a boron
(B) atom?).
 Draw a baseball diagram on the board or laminate a copy of the Radiation Baseball
game sheet (and use a dry erase marker to track runs).
 Divide the students into two teams. Students can select their team names (e.g., Particles
or Rays).
 Determine which team will start first. Each person that comes up to bat must answer a
question. Incorrect responses equal a strike. Three strikes equal an out and the next
team bats. A correct response means the student can move to the next base. You can
mark students’ progress with their name, a unique color or mark, or even small objects
or magnets based on the surface you are using. As players cross home plate, they score
a run. Tally or add the runs in the score area. NOTE: If time is limited, you can limit the
number of strikes or questions per inning. The team with the most runs wins.
10. Conclude by having students share one or two things they learned about atomic structure
and the periodic table.

Atomic Calculations Worksheet
Name: ____________________________________ Date: ____________________
Use the Periodic Table of Elements to complete the following.
1. Determine the number of protons, neutrons and electrons for the following elements.
Elements Number of Number of Number of

Protons Neutrons Electrons
Hydrogen (H)
Lithium (Li)
Boron (B)
Oxygen (O)
2. Which element has a greater number of protons – Potassium (K) or Selenium (Se)?
___________________________
3. Which element has a smaller number of electrons – Copper (Cu) or Silver (Ag)?
___________________________
4. Which element has a greater number of neutrons – Magnesium (Mg) or Tin (Sn)?
___________________________

Atomic Calculations Teacher Answer Key
1. Determine the number of protons, neutrons and electrons for the following elements.
Example Elements Number of Number of Number of

Protons Neutrons Electrons
Hydrogen (H) 1 0 1
Lithium (Li) 3 4 3
Boron (B) 5 6 5
Oxygen (O) 8 8 8
2. Which element has a greater number of protons – Potassium (K) or Selenium (Se)?
Potassium has 19 protons and Selenium has 34 according to the elements’ atomic
numbers.
3. Which element has a smaller number of electrons – Copper (Cu) or Silver (Ag)? Copper
has 29 electrons, and Silver has 47 electrons, equaling the number of protons in each
element.
4. Which element has a greater number of neutrons – Magnesium (Mg) or Tin (Sn)?
Magnesium has 12 neutrons and Tin has 69, calculated by subtracting the atomic
number from the atomic mass (rounded to a whole number).

Radiation Baseball

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Activity 2: Atomic Math and Shorthand

Next Generation Science Standards

Materials and Resources

U.S. EPA Education Activities: Evolution of a Radioactive Atom Page 15 of 44

4. Provide students with the Periodic Table of Elements.

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Use the Periodic Table of Elements to complete the following.

Elements Number of Number of Number of

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Example Elements Number of Number of Number of

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