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Relative sizes of atoms and their nuclei

Atomic structure • Atoms and isotopes

Key concepts

What you'll likely be quizzed about

  • Atoms are incredibly small, typically around 0.1 nanometers in diameter.
  • The size of an atom is primarily determined by the space occupied by its electrons.
  • An atom consists of a nucleus surrounded by electron clouds, which define the outer boundaries of the atom.
  • The electron cloud is not a fixed boundary but rather a probabilistic region where electrons are likely to be found.

Flashcards

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How does the size of a nucleus compare to the atom?

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The nucleus is about 1/100,000th the size of the atom.

Key notes

Important points to keep in mind

Atoms are mainly empty space.

The nucleus is dense and contains most of the atom's mass.

Electron clouds define the boundaries of the atom without being fixed.

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