chapter 2 test

chemistry of life essay questions carbon has an atomic number of 6. draw a carbon atom (n/a).label the protons neutrons electrons and nucleus

1 answer

While I can't create visual drawings, I can describe how to represent a carbon atom in a way that you can sketch it yourself.

  1. Nucleus: At the center of your drawing, draw a small circle to represent the nucleus.

  2. Protons and Neutrons: Inside the nucleus, label:

    • Protons: Since carbon has an atomic number of 6, it has 6 protons. You can represent these with small "+" signs or circles labeled "P" for protons.
    • Neutrons: Carbon typically has 6 neutrons (in its most common isotope, Carbon-12). You can represent neutrons with small "0" signs or circles labeled "N" for neutrons.
  3. Electron Shells: Draw one or two concentric circles around the nucleus to represent electron shells:

    • The first shell can hold a maximum of 2 electrons.
    • The second shell can hold a maximum of 8 electrons, but for carbon (which has 6 electrons), you will place 4 electrons in this shell.
    • Represent electrons with small circle symbols or dots labeled "e-".
  4. Electron Placement:

    • Place 2 electrons in the first shell (you can label them "e-").
    • Place the remaining 4 electrons in the second shell, distributing them to represent their arrangement (you can put them in pairs or singly to show how they share orbitals).

Summary of Labels:

  • Nucleus: Central circle
  • Protons: "+ P P P P P P" (6 in total)
  • Neutrons: "0 N N N N N N" (6 in total)
  • Electrons: "e- e-" (2 in the first shell) and "e- e- e- e-" (4 in the second shell)

With this information, you should be able to create a proper sketch of a carbon atom!