Ch 2: Atom: General Chemistry Lesson Plans
About This Chapter
Weekly Syllabus
Below is a sample breakdown of the Atom chapter into a 5-day school week. Based on the pace of your course, you may need to adapt the lesson plan to fit your needs.
| Day | Topics | Key Terms and Concepts Covered |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | The atom and early atomic theory | Proton, neutron, electron, atomic number, mass number; findings of Dalton, Thomson, Rutherford and Millikan |
| Tuesday | Isotopes and Avogadro's Number | Proton, neutron, atomic weight; Avogadro's number and its calculations, mole |
| Wednesday | Electron configurations | Energy level, s-block, p-block, f-block |
| Thursday | Quantum numbers | Atomic orbital, principal, angular momentum, magnetic, spin |
| Friday | Bohr's Model | Principal quantum number, energy level, ground state, photon, electromagnetic radiation, atomic spectrum, the Rutherford model |
1. Atomic Number and Mass Number
Atoms are the basic building blocks of everything around you. In order to really understand how atoms combine to form molecules, it's necessary to be familiar with their structure. In this lesson, we'll dissect atoms so we can see just what really goes into those little building blocks of matter.
2. Early Atomic Theory: Dalton, Thomson, Rutherford and Millikan
Imagine firing a bullet at a piece of tissue paper and having it bounce back at you! You would probably be just as surprised as Rutherford when he discovered the nucleus. In this lesson, we are going to travel back in time and discuss some of the major discoveries in the history of the atom.
3. Isotopes and Average Atomic Mass
When you drink a glass of water, you are actually drinking a combination of heavy water and light water. What's the difference? Is it harmful? This video will explain the difference between the two types of water and go into detail on the significance of the different isotopes of elements.
4. Avogadro's Number: Using the Mole to Count Atoms
How do we move from the atomic world to the regular world? Because atoms are so tiny, how can we count and measure them? And what do chemists celebrate at 6:02 AM on October 23rd each year? In this lesson, you will be learning how Avogadro's number and the mole can answer these questions.
5. Electron Configurations in Atomic Energy Levels
This lesson will explain what the electrons are doing inside the atom. Tune in to find out how we specify where they are located and how this location description will help us predict an element's properties.
6. Four Quantum Numbers: Principal, Angular Momentum, Magnetic & Spin
Each electron inside of an atom has its own 'address' that consists of four quantum numbers that communicate a great deal of information about that electron. In this lesson, we will be defining each quantum number and explaining how to write a set of quantum numbers for a specific electron.
7. The Bohr Model and Atomic Spectra
Do you ever wonder where light comes from or how it is produced? In this lesson, we are going to use our knowledge of the electron configurations and quantum numbers to see what goes on during the creation of light.
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Other Chapters
Other chapters within the General Chemistry Syllabus Resource & Lesson Plans course
- Experimental Chemistry and Introduction to Matter Lesson Plans
- The Periodic Table: General Chemistry Lesson Plans
- Nuclear Chemistry: General Chemistry Lesson Plans
- Chemical Bonding: General Chemistry Lesson Plans
- Liquids and Solids: General Chemistry Lesson Plans
- Gases: General Chemistry Lesson Plans
- Solutions: General Chemistry Lesson Plans
- Stoichiometry: General Chemistry Lesson Plans
- Chemical Reactions: General Chemistry Lesson Plans
- Equilibrium: General Chemistry Lesson Plans
- Kinetics: General Chemistry Lesson Plans
- Thermodynamics: General Chemistry Lesson Plans
