Key Concept 5.

1 Nuclear Model
1. In the atomic model, an atom consists of a 4. When Rutherford bombarded thin gold foil
central mass, orbited by much smaller particles. with α-particles, he found that some α-particles
were deflected through large angles. Which
statement explains this deflection?

Most of the atom consists of empty

A.
space
All of the positive charge and most of
B. the mass of the gold atom are
concentrated in a small volume
What is the name of the central mass and of the
orbiting particles? Positive charge in the gold atom is
C.
spread evenly throughout the atom
Central mass Orbiting particle All of the negative charge is
D.
A Neutron α particle concentrated at its center

B Neutron electron 5. Three students are describing the structure of

C Nucleus α particle an atom.
D Nucleus electron
Student 1 : All the positively charged particles
are in the nucleus.
2. When a source of α-particles is directed Student 2 : Positive electrons are in the nucleus.
towards a thin metal foil they become scattered. student 3 : Negative electrons orbit around the
Which observation of this experiment provides nucleus.
evidence for a small charged nucleus?
Which students are making a correct statement?
A small proportion of the α-particles
A. come straight back from the foil A. 1, 2 and 3
towards the source
B. 1 and 2 only
A small proportion of the α-particles
B. C. 1 and 3 only
pass straight through the foil
Some of the α-particles are deflected by D. 2 and 3 only
C.
an angle of less than 90°
6. Which description of a neutral atom of copper
Some of the α-particles follow a curved
D. is correct?
path after leaving the foil

3. Which particle has a negative charge? A. a nucleus surrounded by electrons

B. a nucleus surrounded by molecules
A. An alpha particle C. electrons surrounded by a nucleus
B. An electron D. electrons surrounded by molecules
C. A neutron
D. A proton

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7. The diagram represents a neutral atom. 10. Which row gives the relative charge of an
electron, a neutron and a proton?

electron neutron proton

A -1 0 -1
B -1 0 +1
Which row identifies each type of particle in the C +1 -1 0
diagram?
D +1 0 +1

A. electron neutron proton 11. Which diagram represents the structure of a

neutral atom?
B. electron proton neutron
C. neutron electron proton
D. proton electron neutron
A.

8. The diagram represents a carbon atom.

B.

What is the nucleon number (mass number) for C.

this atom?

A. 6
B. 8
D.
C. 14
D. 20

9. What is the nucleon number of a nuclide? 12. Which statement about the nuclei of all
atoms is correct?
A. the number of neutrons in the nucleus
A. They all contain electrons
B. the number of protons in the nucleus
B. They are all always stable
the number of protons minus the
C. C. They all contain protons and electrons
number of neutrons in the nucleus
the number of protons plus the D. They all have a positive charge
D.
number of neutrons in the nucleus

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13. Which diagram shows a possible structure of 15. The diagram represents the nucleus of an
a neutral atom? atom. The charged particles are shown.

Which row gives the proton number and the

nucleon number for this nucleus?

A. Proton number Nucleon number

A 3 4
B 3 7
C 4 3
B.
D 4 7

16. A nuclide is represented by the notation

shown.
𝑃
C. 𝑋𝑋
How many nucleons are there in one atom of this
nuclide?

A. P
D.
B. Q
C. P+Q
14. The diagrams show the simple atomic D. P-Q
structure for two neutral atoms X and Y of
different elements. 17. A particular nuclide of chlorine can be
represented by the symbol shown.
37𝐶𝑙
17
How many electrons are there in a neutral atom
of this nuclide?

A. 17
Which row is correct?
B. 20
Atom with a more C. 37
Atom with
positively
more electrons D. 54
charged nucleus
A. X X
B. X Y
C. Y X
D. Y Y

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18. A nuclide has the symbol 22. An element has two isotopes. Which row
14𝐶
6 compares the numbers of particles in the nuclei
How many protons are there in one nucleus of of the atoms of these isotopes?
this nuclide?
neutrons protons nucleons
A. 6 A Different The same Different
B. 8 B Different The same The same
C. 14 C The same Different Different
D. 20 D The same Different The same

19. A nucleus X has 17 protons and 18 neutrons. 23. The table shows the composition of three
Which notation is correct for this nucleus? different nuclei.

nucleus Number of Number of

A. 17𝑋
18
protons neutrons
B. 17
35𝑋 X 3 3
C. 18𝑋
17 Y 3 4
D. 35𝑋
17
Z 4 3

20. 146𝐶 is a nuclide of carbon. What is the Which nuclei are isotopes of the same element?
composition of one nucleus of this nuclide?
A. X, Y and Z
neutrons protons
B. X and Y only
A. 6 8
C. X and Z only
B. 6 14
D. Y and Z only
C. 8 6
D. 14 6 24. What occurs during nuclear fusion?

Two light atomic nuclei join together

21. The nuclide notation for an isotope of silver A.
and emit energy
is 109
47𝐴𝑔. How many nucleons are in a nucleus of
this isotope? Two light atomic nuclei join together
B.
and absorb energy
A. 47 A heavy atomic nucleus splits and
C.
emits energy
B. 62
A heavy atomic nucleus splits and
C. 109 D.
absorbs energy
D. 156

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25. A type of nuclear reaction takes place in 27. Uranium-235 can undergo nuclear fission in
stars. Which row describes this type of reaction? many ways. Which equation correctly shows a
possible fission reaction for uranium-235?
Nuclear Nuclei Energy
reaction formed transfer
A fission Larger than Released A.
original
nuclei B.
B fission Smaller Absorbed
than
C.
original
nuclei
C fusion Larger than Released D.
original
nuclei
D fusion Smaller Absorbed 28. Four students are asked to comment on the
than processes of nuclear fission and nuclear fusion.
original Their comments are recorded in the table.
nuclei Which row is correct?

26. Nuclear fusion is a reaction that takes place Fission Fusion

in stars. Which row describes this reaction? energy is a large unstable
A.
absorbed nucleus splits
Action of atomic nuclei energy
a large unstable energy is
B.
nucleus splits absorbed
A an atomic nucleus splits absorbed
into two or more smaller two light nuclei energy is
C.
nuclei join absorbed
B an atomic nucleus splits released energy is two light nuclei
D.
into two or more smaller released join
nuclei
C atomic nuclei join absorbed
together to form a larger
nucleus
D atomic nuclei join released
together to form a larger
nucleus

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Free Response.

1. Fig. 12.1 represents a neutral lithium atom. All the particles in the atom are shown on the diagram.
a. Use Fig. 12.1 to help you answer the following questions.

i. How many electrons does this atom have?

ii. What is the value of the proton number of this

atom?

iii. How many neutrons does the atom have?

iv. What is the value of the nucleon number of this

atom?

b. Write the appropriate numbers in the boxes below, to represent this atom of Lithium in nuclide
notation.

2.
a. Complete the table below.
In the centre column, state whether the particle is inside or outside the nucleus.
In the right-hand column, state whether the particle has a positive charge or a negative charge or
no charge.

Particle Position charge

Proton

Electron

Neutron

b. Which of the particles in the above table is the same as a -particle?

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3.
a. Atoms are composed of protons, neutrons and electrons.

i. Which of these particles has the smallest mass?

ii. Which two of these types of particle are found in the nucleus?

b. Naturally-occurring chlorine gas contains two types of atom.

These are 35
17𝐶𝑙 and 17𝐶𝑙
37

i. What does the number 17 tell us about the nuclei of chlorine atoms?

ii. Which particle does an atom of 37

17𝐶𝑙 contain more of than an atom of 17𝐶𝑙 ?
35

iii. State the number of electrons in a neutral atom of

1. 35𝐶𝑙
17 ____________

2. 37𝐶𝑙
17 ____________

4. Fig. 11.1 represents the atomic structure of three neutral atoms.

a. What letter in Fig. 11.1 is used to represent

i. an electron, ...................................
ii. a proton, ........................................
iii. a neutron? .....................................

b. State the nucleon number of the tritium atom. ...............

c. All three atoms may be represented by the chemical symbol H. Hydrogen can be represented in
nuclide notation as 11𝐻. Write down the nuclide notation for

i. deuterium, ................................................

ii. tritium. .......................................................

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5. This question is about the structure of an atom.

a. An atom contains three types of particle. Complete the table with the name of each type of particle

Particle Charge
0
-1
+1

b. Draw a labelled diagram to show the structure of a lithium atom 73𝐿𝑖.

6. The figure below represents the particles in an atom of the element lithium.

a. State the name of particle X.

b. State the charge of particle X.

c. Explain the meaning of the term isotope.

d. Tick one box in the figure below that correctly represents an isotope of lithium.

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7. The nuclide notation 𝐴𝑍𝑋 describes the nucleus of one type of atom. Figure shows the nuclide notation
for three isotopes of an element.

a. Describe how the nuclide notation shows that each isotope is of the same element.

b. Describe how the nuclide notation shows the differences between the isotopes.

8. There are three naturally occurring isotopes of hydrogen: hydrogen-1, hydrogen-2 and hydrogen-3.
The nuclide notation for hydrogen-1 is 11𝐻

a. Write down the symbol, using nuclide notation, for:

hydrogen-2 ...................................

hydrogen-3. ..................................

b. In a fusion reactor, a nucleus of hydrogen-2 and a nucleus of hydrogen-3 undergo fusion.

i. State what is meant by nuclear fusion.

ii. The fusion reaction produces a free neutron and one other particle. Write down, using
nuclide notation, the equation that represents this reaction.

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