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Chapter 3 Atoms Building Blocks of Matter

GLOSSARY
A atom the smallest unit of an element that maintains the properties of that
element (70)
atomic mass unit a unit of mass that is exactly 1/12 the mass of a carbon-12
atom, or 1.660 540 1027 kg (78)
atomic number the number of protons in the nucleus of each atom of an
element (75)
average atomic mass the weighted average of the atomic masses of the
naturally occurring isotopes of an element (79)
Avogadros number 6.022 1367 1023 ; the number of particles in exactly one
mole of a pure substance (81)
I isotopes atoms of the same element that have different masses (76)
L law of conservation of mass mass is neither created nor destroyed during
ordinary chemical or physical reactions (66)
law of definite proportions a chemical compound contains the same elements
in exactly the same proportions by mass regardless of the size of the sample or
the source of the compound (66)
law of multiple proportions if two or more different compounds are
composed of the same two elements, then the ratio of the masses of the second
element combined with a certain mass of the first element is always a ratio of
small whole numbers (66)
M mass number the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an
isotope (76)
molar mass the mass of one mole of a pure substance (76)
mole the amount of a substance that contains as many particles as there are
atoms in exactly 12 g of carbon-12 (81)
N nuclear force a short-range proton-neutron, proton-proton, or neutron-neutron
force that holds the nuclear particles together (74)
nuclide the general term for any isotope of any element (77)

Chapter 3: Atoms: The Building Blocks of Matter

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Choose the correct response by selecting the appropriate button

1. The law of conservation of mass follows from the concept that
a) atoms are indivisible.
b) matter is composed of atoms.
c) atoms of different elements have different properties.
d) atoms can be destroyed in chemical reactions.
2. If two or more compounds are composed of the same two elements, the ratio of the masses of one
element that combine with a fixed mass of the other element is a simple whole number. This is a
statement of the law of
a) conservation of mass.
b) mass action. c) multiple proportions. d) definite composition.
3. According to the law of definite proportions, any two samples of KCl have
a) the same mass.
b) slightly different molecular structures.
c) the same melting point. d) the same ratio of elements.
4. According to Dalton's atomic theory, atoms
a) are destroyed in chemical reactions.
b) can be divided.
c) of each element are identical in size, mass, and other properties.
d) of different elements cannot combine.
5. Dalton's atomic theory helped to explain the law of conservation of mass because it stated that atoms
a) could not combine.
b) could not be created or destroyed.
c) all had the same mass. d) were invisible.
6. When an electrical current passed through a glass tube, a paddle wheel placed between the
electrodes moved. Scientists concluded that
a) a magnetic field was produced.
b) particles were passing from the cathode to the anode.
c) there was gas in the tube.
d) atoms were indivisible.
7. Experiments with cathode rays led to the discovery of the
a) proton.
b) nucleus.
c) neutron.
d) electron.
8. Because any element used in the cathode produced electrons, scientists concluded that
a) all atoms contained electrons.
b) only metals contained electrons.
c) atoms were indivisible.
d) atoms carried a negative charge.
9. Rutherford fired positively charged particles at metal foil and concluded that most of the mass of an
atom was
a) in the electrons.
b) concentrated in the nucleus.
c) evenly spread throughout the atom. d) in rings around the atom.

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10. The nucleus of an atom has all of the following characteristics EXCEPT that it
a) is positively charged.
b) is very dense.
c) contains nearly all of the atom's mass. d) contains nearly all of the atom's volume.
11. Isotopes of an element contain different numbers of
a) electrons.
b) protons.
c) neutrons.
12. All isotopes of hydrogen contain
a) one neutron.
b) two electrons.

d) nuclides.

c) one proton.

d) two nuclei.

13. The atomic number of oxygen, 8, indicates that there are eight
a) oxygen nuclides.
b) neutrons outside the oxygen atom's nucleus.
c) energy levels in the oxygen atom's nucleus. d) protons in the nucleus of an oxygen atom.
14. The total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom is its
a) atomic number.
b) Avogadro constant.
c) mass number.
d) number of neutrons.
15. An aluminum isotope consists of 13 protons, 13 electrons, and 14 neutrons. Its mass number is
a) 13.
b) 14.
c) 27.
d) 40.
16. Avogadro's constant is
a) the maximum number of electrons that all the energy levels can accommodate.
b) the number of protons and neutrons that can fit in the shells of the nucleus.
c) the number of particles in 1 mole of a pure substance.
d) the number of particles in exactly 1 gram of a pure substance.
17. The mass of exactly 5 mol of cesium (atomic mass 132.9 amu) is
a) 664.5 g.
b) 132.9 g.
c) 6.02 x 1023 g.
d) 5 g.
Ans: 1)A 2)C 3)D 4)C 5)B 6)B 7)D 8)A 9)B
10)D 11)C 12)C 13)D 14)C 15)C 16)C 17)A