![]() These scholars imagined atoms as varying in shape depending on the type of atom. Though their ideas about atoms were rudimentary compared to our concepts today, they outlined the idea that everything is made of atoms, invisible and indivisible spheres of matter of infinite type and number. The Ancient Greek theory has been credited to several different scholars but is most often attributed to Democritus (460–370 BC) and his mentor Leucippus. The word ‘atom’ actually comes from Ancient Greek and roughly translates as ‘indivisible’. In fact, we have to go all the way back to Ancient Greece to find its genesis. Though our graphic starts in the 1800s, the idea of atoms was around long before. This graphic takes a look at the key models proposed for the atom, and how they changed over time. Despite this, our ideas about what an atom is are surprisingly recent: as little as one hundred years ago, scientists were still debating what exactly an atom looked like. This is something we now take as a given and one of the things you learn right back at the beginning of high school or secondary school chemistry classes. ![]() Thus, the columns of the periodic table represent the potential shared state of these elements' outer electron shells that is responsible for their similar chemical characteristics.All matter is made up of atoms. When an atom gains an electron to become a negatively-charged ion this is indicated by a minus sign after the element symbol for example, \(F^-\). Group 17 elements, including fluorine and chlorine, have seven electrons in their outermost shells they tend to fill this shell by gaining an electron from other atoms, making them negatively-charged ions. ![]() When an atom loses an electron to become a positively-charged ion, this is indicated by a plus sign after the element symbol for example, Na +. As a result of losing a negatively-charged electron, they become positively-charged ions. This means that they can achieve a stable configuration and a filled outer shell by donating or losing an electron. In comparison, the group 1 elements, including hydrogen (H), lithium (Li), and sodium (Na), all have one electron in their outermost shells. Their non-reactivity has resulted in their being named the inert gases (or noble gases). As shown in, the group 18 atoms helium (He), neon (Ne), and argon (Ar) all have filled outer electron shells, making it unnecessary for them to gain or lose electrons to attain stability they are highly stable as single atoms. The periodic table is arranged in columns and rows based on the number of electrons and where these electrons are located, providing a tool to understand how electrons are distributed in the outer shell of an atom. Elements in other groups have partially-filled valence shells and gain or lose electrons to achieve a stable electron configuration.Īn atom may gain or lose electrons to achieve a full valence shell, the most stable electron configuration. A full valence shell is the most stable electron configuration. Group 18 elements (helium, neon, and argon are shown) have a full outer, or valence, shell. \):īohr diagrams indicate how many electrons fill each principal shell.
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