Atomic number

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/atomic-number

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the symbol?Z
2. What is the fundamental property?The number of protons in the atomic nucleus
3. What is an atomic number and why is it important?The atomic number is the number of protons in an atom’s nucleus. It tells us which element the atom is and helps predict how it will react with other atoms.
4. How does the atomic number help us arrange elements in the periodic table?Elements are listed in order of increasing atomic number, forming rows and columns. Elements in the same column share similar valence electrons and similar chemical properties.

Nuclear Charge: The total positive electric charge of an atom's nucleus, equal to Z.
Valence Electrons: Electrons in the outermost shell of an atom, determining chemical reactivity.
Atomic Mass: The weighted average mass of an element's naturally occurring isotopes.
Isotopes: Atoms of the same element (same Z) with differing numbers of neutrons (N).