atoms and elements explained.
Atoms and elements explained
In this video, we’re going to discuss atoms and elements. Let’s begin.
Before we can discuss atoms and elements, we must first discuss matter which is the embodiment of all atoms.
In 322 BC, the famous Greek philosopher and physicist, Aristotle, described matter as “the primary underlying layer of each thing, from which it comes to be without qualification”.
In today’s physics matter is described as anything that has mass and volume.
Volume- is the amount of space occupied by an object.
Mass- is the amount of matter that something is made of.
Anything and everything is a form of matter.
Matter comes in four states:
1) liquid, for example, water.
2)solid, for example, metal.
3)Gas, for example, oxygen.
4) plasma, for example, lightning.
Now that we know what matter is, let’s move on to atoms and elements.
Matter is made up of very small particles called atoms and molecules, so small that you need a special microscope called an atomic force microscope to see them.
The word atom was taken from the Greek word atomos; which means uncuttable.
There are 7 octillion atoms in the average human body; that is 7 billion billion billion atoms.
There are 118 different types of atoms, such as hydrogen, lithium, oxygen, calcium, and many more.
The center of each atom, also known as the nucleus, is also made up of small particles called protons and neutrons, and the outer of the nucleus is surrounded by smaller particles called electrons.
Protons have positive electrical charges.
Electrons have negative electrical charges.
Neutrons are neutral.
The positive electrical charges from the protons and the negative electrical charges from the electrons create an electromagnetic force that keeps the electrons in place while orbiting the atom’s nucleus.
Now, let’s discuss elements.
Elements are substances that are made of only one type of atom. Scientists and physicists call them pure substances. Since there are 118 types of atoms, therefore there are 118 types of elements as well.
The most common types of elements are gold, silver, copper, and iron.
Each element has its own symbol and atomic number.
An atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.
For example: Ag = silver, atomic #47
Au = gold, atomic #79
Cu = copper, atomic#29
Fe = iron , atomic#26
there are 118 different types of elements; Those are just my favorites.