Atomic Theory
The law of conservation of mass states that mass is neither created nor destroyed during ordinary
chemical or physical reactions. The law of definite proportions holds that a chemical compound contains
the same elements in exactly the same proportions by mass, regardless of the size of the sample or
source of the compound. The law of multiple proportions states that if two or more different
compounds are composed of the same two elements, the ratio of the masses of the second element
combined with a certain mass of the first element is always a ratio of small whole numbers.
Atomic Structure
An atom is the smallest unit of an element that maintains its properties. The nucleus is held together by
nuclear forces, which are short-range forces that act between protons, neutrons, and protons. The
atomic mass unit (amu) is exactly 1/12 the mass of a carbon-12 atom. The atomic number is the number
of protons in the nucleus, and the average atomic mass is the weighted average of the atomic masses of
the naturally occurring isotopes of an element.
Isotopes and Nuclides
Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have different masses. The mass number is the total
number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. A nuclide is a general term for any isotope of any
element.
Mole and Molar Mass
The mole is the SI unit for a substance, and it is defined as the amount of a substance that contains as
many particles as there are atoms in exactly 12g of carbon-12. The molar mass is the mass of one mole
of a substance, written in g/mol.
Dalton's Atomic Theory