This document discusses basic chemistry concepts including matter, elements, atoms, and electron shells. It defines matter as anything that occupies space and has weight, and states that matter exists in three states: solid, liquid, and gas. Elements are the fundamental substances that matter is made of and are composed of identical atoms. Atoms are the smallest unit of an element and consist of protons, neutrons, and electrons. The number of protons determines an element's atomic number, while atomic weight comes from protons and neutrons. Isotopes are forms of the same atom that differ in neutron numbers. Electrons occupy shells surrounding the nucleus in orbits called energy levels. Chemical bonds form as the outer electron shell seeks stability.

1. Basic Chemistry
Matter, Elements and Atoms
Companion Text:
Herlihy, B, & Maebius, N, The Human Body in Health and
Illness, 2nd Edition, 2003, Saunders, United States of
America
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2. Chemistry is the study of matter
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3. Matter is …
“Anything that occupies space and has
weight.
Anything that you see when you look
around is matter.”
Herlihy, B & Maebius, N, 2003, P.17
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4. Matter exists in three (3) states:
• Solid
• Liquid
• Gas
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6. Solid Matter …
Has definite shape and volume
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7. Liquid Matter …
Becomes the shape of, or conforms to the
container it is in
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8. Gaseous Matter (a gas)
Has not got either shape or volume
Volcanoes.usgs.gov/…Pglossary/volcGas.html
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9. Matter can undergo both physical and
chemical changes …
A good example of this is chopping up
wood and burning it
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10. A log of wood experiences a physical
change when it is chopped up …
Even though it is cut into smaller pieces, it
is still smaller pieces of the
same wood
The matter that makes up that wood has
not changed – it is still chemically the
same
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12. When the logs are burned they undergo a
chemical change …
The burnt wood is no longer wood
because it has become ash
Ash is chemically different to wood
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14. Elements …
All matter, whether it is dead or alive is made up
of elements
“An element is a fundamental substance that
cannot be broken down into a simpler form by
ordinary chemical reactions”
Herlihy, B & Maebius, N, 2003, P.17
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15. Even the smallest amount of an element
contains millions and millions of the
identical atoms
Simple.wikpedia.org.wik.Molecules
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16. See the list of elements that are most abundant
in our body on page 18 of the companion text …
But the four elements that make up 96% of our
body weight are:
Carbon
Hydrogen
Oxygen
Nitrogen
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17. Trace Elements ..
These occur in our body in small amounts
but they are still essential to life
Each element is represented by a symbol
… Na for sodium, for example
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18. Atoms …
Elements are made up of atoms.
An atom is:
“the smallest unit of an element with that
element‟s chemical characteristics”
Herlihy, B & Maebius, N, 2003, P.18
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19. An atom is composed of three (3)
subatomic particles:
- protons
- neutrons
- electrons
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20. An atom has a nucleus and shells
www.es.uusc.edu/.../lectures/Lect.03html
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21. The protons and the neutrons are found in
the nucleus …
Untitled
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22. Protons carry a positive electrical charge
(+VE)
Neutrons do not carry an electrical charge
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23. Electrons …
These are found in the shells that
surround the nucleus
Electrons carry a negative charge
(-ve)
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24. In every atom the number of protons (+ve)
is equal to the number of electrons (-ve)
An atom is electrically neutral so it does
not carry an electrical charge
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25. All protons are alike
All electrons are alike
All neutrons are alike
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26. What makes one atom different from
another atom?
The difference is due primarily to the
numbers of protons and electrons found in
each atom …
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27. Two terms are used to describe individual atoms
…
Atomic Number
Atomic Weight
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28. Atomic Number
The number of protons in the nucleus
Hydrogen, for example, has only one proton, so
it has an atomic number of 1
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29. Atomic Weight
This is found by adding the number of protons
and the neutrons found in the nucleus together
Hydrogen has an atomic weight of 1 because it
only has one proton and no neutrons in its
nucleus
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30. Helium has an atomic weight of 4 because there
are two protons and two neutrons in its nucleus
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31. Isotopes
These are different forms of the same atom.
For example, there are different forms of
Hydrogen …
Hydrogen has an atomic number of 1
(it has one proton and no neutron in its nucleus)
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32. Isotopes … cont.
Hydrogen also comes in a heavier, less common
form and this form has one proton and one
neutron in its nucleus … so it has an atomic
weight of 2
But it still has an atomic number of 1 and that
means it is still a hydrogen atom
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33. Isotopes … cont.
So, an isotope has the same atomic number but
a different atomic weight
An isotope is different because of the number of
neutrons found in the nucleus
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34. Why is this relevant to nursing?
Heavier isotopes of atoms are often unstable
and their nuclei break down
(decay)
When this happens they give off particles, or
energy waves, and these unstable nuclei
become more stable
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35. Unstable isotopes are called radioisotopes and
the process of decay is called radioactivity
Radioisotopes damage tissue
They are used clinically to destroy cells
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36. Radioactive Iodine is used to destroy excess
thyroid tissue
Other radioisotopes are used to destroy cancer
cells
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37. Electron Shells
Electrons are found surrounding the
nucleus in orbits that are called energy
levels, or electron shells
The number of electron shells vary
between atoms
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38. Electron Shells … cont.
Hydrogen has only one electron shell, where
sodium has three shells
Each shell can hold a specific number of
electrons
The inner shell (closest to the nucleus) can only
accommodate two electrons
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39. Electron Shells … cont.
The second and third shells can hold eight
electrons …
The only electrons that are important in chemical
bonding are the electrons found in the outer
shell
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40. Electron Shells … cont.
If it does not contain the proper number of
electrons, the outer shell becomes unstable
It attempts to either give up electrons and empty
the shell, or pick up electrons to fill the shell
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41. Electron Shells … cont
This is the basis of chemical bonding
Chemical bonds are formed because the outer
electron shell has a tendency to seek stability
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42. Reference
Herlihy, B, The Human Body in Health and Illness, 5th Edition, 2014,
Elsevier,
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