Atoms Vs. Ions Worksheet - Name Date Period Atoms Vs Ions ... - Free Printable

Problem Overview:

The task involves analyzing the periodic table and electron configurations for specific elements (Lithium, Beryllium, and Nitrogen) to determine their atomic properties, including group, period, number of electrons, valence electrons, and ion symbols. The goal is to fill in the missing information in the provided table.

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Solution Approach:

1. Understand the Basics:
- Group: Refers to the vertical column in the periodic table.
- Period: Refers to the horizontal row in the periodic table.
- Atomic Number: The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.
- Electrons: The total number of electrons in a neutral atom equals its atomic number.
- Valence Electrons: The number of electrons in the outermost shell of an atom.
- Ion Symbol: Indicates the charge on an ion after gaining or losing electrons. Cations have a positive charge, and anions have a negative charge.

2. Analyze Each Element:
- Lithium (Li):
- Group: 1 (Alkali Metals)
- Period: 2
- Atomic Number: 3
- Electrons: 3 (neutral atom)
- Valence Electrons: 1 (in the outermost shell)
- Ion Symbol: \( \text{Li}^+ \) (loses 1 electron to achieve a stable configuration)

- Beryllium (Be):
- Group: 2 (Alkaline Earth Metals)
- Period: 2
- Atomic Number: 4
- Electrons: 4 (neutral atom)
- Valence Electrons: 2 (in the outermost shell)
- Ion Symbol: \( \text{Be}^{2+} \) (loses 2 electrons to achieve a stable configuration)

- Nitrogen (N):
- Group: 15 (Pnictogens)
- Period: 2
- Atomic Number: 7
- Electrons: 7 (neutral atom)
- Valence Electrons: 5 (in the outermost shell)
- Ion Symbol: \( \text{N}^{3-} \) (gains 3 electrons to achieve a stable configuration)

3. Fill in the Table:
Using the information above, we can complete the table for each element.

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Completed Table:

#### Lithium:
| Category | Lithium Atom | Lithium Ion |
|----------------|--------------|-------------|
| Group | 1 | |
| Period | 2 | |
| Atomic # | 3 | |
| Electrons | 3 | 2 |
| Valence Electrons | 1 | |
| Ion Symbol | | \( \text{Li}^+ \) |

#### Beryllium:
| Category | Beryllium Atom | Beryllium Ion |
|----------------|----------------|---------------|
| Group | 2 | |
| Period | 2 | |
| Atomic # | 4 | |
| Electrons | 4 | 2 |
| Valence Electrons | 2 | |
| Ion Symbol | | \( \text{Be}^{2+} \) |

#### Nitrogen:
| Category | Nitrogen Atom | Nitrogen Ion |
|----------------|---------------|--------------|
| Group | 15 | |
| Period | 2 | |
| Atomic # | 7 | |
| Electrons | 7 | 10 |
| Valence Electrons | 5 | |
| Ion Symbol | | \( \text{N}^{3-} \) |

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Explanation of Key Points:

1. Lithium (\( \text{Li} \)):
- Lithium is in Group 1 (alkali metals), Period 2.
- It has 3 electrons in a neutral state.
- It loses 1 electron to form a \( \text{Li}^+ \) cation, achieving a stable configuration like helium.

2. Beryllium (\( \text{Be} \)):
- Beryllium is in Group 2 (alkaline earth metals), Period 2.
- It has 4 electrons in a neutral state.
- It loses 2 electrons to form a \( \text{Be}^{2+} \) cation, achieving a stable configuration like helium.

3. Nitrogen (\( \text{N} \)):
- Nitrogen is in Group 15 (pnictogens), Period 2.
- It has 7 electrons in a neutral state.
- It gains 3 electrons to form a \( \text{N}^{3-} \) anion, achieving a stable configuration like neon.

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Final Answer:

\[
\boxed{
\begin{array}{|c|c|c|}
\hline
\text{Category} & \text{Lithium Atom} & \text{Lithium Ion} \\
\hline
\text{Group} & 1 & \\
\text{Period} & 2 & \\
\text{Atomic #} & 3 & \\
\text{Electrons} & 3 & 2 \\
\text{Valence Electrons} & 1 & \\
\text{Ion Symbol} & & \text{Li}^+ \\
\hline
\end{array}
\quad
\begin{array}{|c|c|c|}
\hline
\text{Category} & \text{Beryllium Atom} & \text{Beryllium Ion} \\
\hline
\text{Group} & 2 & \\
\text{Period} & 2 & \\
\text{Atomic #} & 4 & \\
\text{Electrons} & 4 & 2 \\
\text{Valence Electrons} & 2 & \\
\text{Ion Symbol} & & \text{Be}^{2+} \\
\hline
\end{array}
\quad
\begin{array}{|c|c|c|}
\hline
\text{Category} & \text{Nitrogen Atom} & \text{Nitrogen Ion} \\
\hline
\text{Group} & 15 & \\
\text{Period} & 2 & \\
\text{Atomic #} & 7 & \\
\text{Electrons} & 7 & 10 \\
\text{Valence Electrons} & 5 & \\
\text{Ion Symbol} & & \text{N}^{3-} \\
\hline
\end{array}
}
\]