Exploring the Building Blocks of Matter: How Small Are Atoms?

Upon viewing the Exploring the Building Blocks of Matter video series, students will be able to do the following: Understand that the quest to better understand the building blocks of matter has transpired over the past several thousand years. State the following components of Dalton's early atomic theory: - all elements are made of atoms. - atoms are indivisible and cannot be destroyed. - atoms of the same element are exactly alike, and atoms of different elements are different from each other. - compounds are formed when the atoms of two or more elements combine. Appreciate and understand the very small size of atoms. Explain that atoms are made up of smaller particles of matter referred to as subatomic particles. List the three major types of subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. Describe some of the characteristics of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Create a simple diagram of an atom labeling the following structures: protons, neutrons, electrons, and nucleus. Understand that electrons travel in orbit paths, but they travel at such high speeds the space in which they travel is referred to as an electron cloud. State that the atomic number is the number of protons found in an atom. Explain that the periodic table of elements is a chart containing the known elements organized by increasing atomic number.