VOMP3003 - Chemistry Fundamentals: Atomic Structure and Properties

This assignment provides a comprehensive overview of fundamental chemistry concepts. It begins by defining matter and its physical and chemical properties, highlighting the role of atoms as fundamental particles. The assignment differentiates between pure substances (elements and compounds) and mixtures, also describing the three physical states of matter and state changes. It further explains the differences between atoms and elements, as well as molecules and compounds. The assignment includes true/false questions to assess understanding of atomic structure, including the location and charge of electrons, protons, and neutrons. Electronic configurations are provided for oxygen, sodium, calcium, hydrogen, and nitrogen. The concept of atomic orbitals, energy levels, and the shapes of s and p orbitals are discussed. Finally, the assignment includes true/false questions related to quantum numbers, including principal, magnetic, spin, and subsidiary quantum numbers. Desklib offers a wealth of resources, including past papers and solved assignments, to support students in their studies.

Running head: FUNDAMENTALS OF CHEMISTRY 1
Fundamentals of Chemistry
Name
Institution

FUNDAMENTALS OF CHEMISTRY 2
Fundamentals of Chemistry
Question 1
Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. It has both physical and chemical
properties. Physical properties occur without the change of the substance. For example, density.
On the other side, chemical properties result to change of the original content through a chemical
reaction. Additionally, matter is composed of tiny and discrete fundamental particles known as
atoms.
Matter is composed of either pure substances such as elements or compounds and mixtures
(uniform and non-uniform). Matter exists in three physical states. Solids are substances with a
“fixed shape and volume, liquids fixed volume but take the shape of the container.” On the
contrary, gases have no shape and no fixed volume and are compressible.
Regarding states, heating or cooling changes the states of most substances. The common states
include: melting, boiling and freezing.
Question 2
An atom refers to the “smallest particle of an element that can exist” whereas an element refers
to a substance that consists of only one kind of atoms.
A molecule refers to “a group of atoms bonded together, representing the smallest unit of a
chemical compound that can take part in a chemical reaction” whereas a “compound is a
substance with two or more elements chemically bonded.”

FUNDAMENTALS OF CHEMISTRY 3
Question 3
Property True/False
Electrons are found in the nucleus of an atom False
The charge of a proton is +1 True
A neutron has a positive charge False
The electron is the heaviest component of an atom False
Protons are found in the nucleus of an atom True
Question 4
Element Atomic Number Electronic Configuration
Oxygen 8 1 s2 2 s2 2 p4
Sodium 11 1 s2 2 s2 2 p6 3 s1
Calcium 20 1 s2 2 s2 2 p6 3 s2 3 p6 4 s2
Hydrogen 1 1 s1
Nitrogen 7 1 s1 2 s2 2 p
Question 5
Atomic orbitals refer to a volume of space where there is a high possibility of finding an
electron. The electrons are located in a series of levels called energy levels where a given
"energy level can hold a specific number of electrons." Atomic orbitals can be s-orbital, p-
orbital, or d and f orbital. The naming of the orbitals is dependent on its shape. For instance, “s
orbitals are spherically symmetric about the nucleus” and p orbitals resemble “2 identical
balloons tied together at the nucleus.”

FUNDAMENTALS OF CHEMISTRY 4
Question 6
Statement True/False
The principal quantum number has the symbol l False
The magnetic quantum number gives the orientation of the orbital True
The magnetic quantum number has 2l + n values False
The spin quantum number has the symbol ms True
The subsidiary quantum number has n number of values True