{"id":65,"date":"2019-02-03T18:00:53","date_gmt":"2019-02-03T23:00:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/basicelectricity\/?post_type=chapter&p=65"},"modified":"2020-01-13T16:10:37","modified_gmt":"2020-01-13T21:10:37","slug":"structure-of-the-atom","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/basicelectricity\/chapter\/structure-of-the-atom\/","title":{"raw":"Structure of the Atom","rendered":"Structure of the Atom"},"content":{"raw":"
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TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE!<\/span><\/h2>\r\n

Before starting the chapter, let's see how much you know!<\/span><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

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[h5p id=\"13\"]<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n \r\n\r\nThe atom<\/strong> is the smallest particle of any matter. Everything is made up of atoms. Atoms have three main parts:\r\n

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  1. Protons<\/strong>, positively charged particles, make up part of the nucleus,<\/strong> which is in the center of the atom.<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Neutrons<\/strong>, uncharged particles, make up the other part of the nucleus.<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. Electrons<\/strong>, negatively charged particles, orbit around the nucleus like the planets orbit the sun in our solar system.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
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    IMAGE HOTSPOT<\/span><\/h2>\r\n<\/header>\r\n
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    Click on the \"+\" symbols in the image to find more information.<\/p>\r\n[h5p id=\"1\"]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

    Valence Shells<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nYou may remember from chemistry class that electrons rotate around the nucleus of the atom. An atom has a certain number of shells that surround the nucleus. Each shell has a maximum number of electrons that rotate in its orbit.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_197\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"223\"]\"\" Figure 1. Copper atom[\/caption]\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n1st shell \u2013 2 electrons\r\n\r\n2nd shell \u2013 8 electrons\r\n\r\n3rd shell \u2013 18 electrons\r\n\r\n4th shell \u2013 32 electrons\r\n\r\n5th shell \u2013 50 electrons\r\n\r\nWhile it is very cool to know this, it is not necessary for us as electricians to memorize these numbers. What does concern us is the outermost shell. This is called the valence shell and can only contain up to a maximum of 8 valence electrons. It is this shell that determines if a substance is a conductor, insulator, or semiconductor.\r\n\r\nConductors<\/strong> have 1\u20133 valence electrons.\r\n\r\nSemiconductors<\/strong> have 4 valence electrons.\r\n\r\nInsulators<\/strong> have 5\u20138 valence electrons.\r\n\r\n ","rendered":"
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    TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE!<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Before starting the chapter, let’s see how much you know!<\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\n

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