Module 2: Atomic Structure and the History of Atomic Theory
Did you know that virtually everything in the entire universe is all related by one common thread? Everything is made of atoms. Atoms make up virtually everything you see, and even things that you cannot see. The total number of atoms is beyond what scientists and mathematicians can calculate. Even a small grain of rice is made of an extremely large number of atoms. You cannot see atoms; they are incredibly small.
Atoms may be small, but they are extremely strong and durable. Some of the atoms in your body may be the same atoms that made up a dinosaur millions of years ago. While this is hard to imagine, it is quite possible. Atoms are unbelievably abundant. Statistically, every snowflake that falls could contain one million atoms that you personally drank in a cup of water.
For thousands of years, people have been trying to find out just what it is that makes up all of the things around them. These important building blocks make up the foundation of chemistry. In this module, you will explore the important components and milestones in the quest to study atoms and the elements they compose.
Getting Started
How much do you already know about elements and compounds? Some elements have unique characteristics, and some elements are dangerous until they combine and their properties change. Some elements are perfectly harmless until they combine and become deadly. In this interactivity, use the NEXT and the PREV buttons to explore some interesting facts about elements and compounds that you might not know. Click on the interactivity thumbnail, and then click NEXT to get started.
View a printable version of the interactivity.
Key Vocabulary
To view the definitions for these key vocabulary terms, visit the course glossary.
| actinide series | electron | nonmetal |
| alchemy | element | nuclear fission |
| alkali metal | gamma radiation | nuclear fusion |
| alkaline earth metal | group | nuclides |
| alpha particle | half-life | parent material |
| anode | halogen | period |
| atom | isotopes | periodic table |
| atomic mass unit | isotope notation | poor metal |
| atomic number | lanthanide series | proton |
| average atomic mass | Law of Constant Composition | radioactivity |
| beta particle | Law of Conservation of Mass | relative abundance |
| cathode | mass number | transition metals |
| cathode ray tube | metalloid | treacle |
| compound | neutron | |
| daughter product | noble gas |