| Term | Definition |
|---|
| atomic number | the number of protons in an atom - used on the periodic table |
| mass number | total mass of the atom in AMU - (sum of neutrons & protons) |
| AMU | shorthand for atomic mass units - Hydrogen's mass in AMU is 1 |
| electromagnetic radiation | general term for energy given off by electrons in an excited state - includes visible light, radio, x-rays, etc... |
| wavelength | measurement of a wave from crest to trough - inverse relationship with energy / frequency |
| frequency | measurement of how many waves pass by a spot / sec - measured in hz - positive relationship with energy |
| gamma rays | high energy, high frequency waves emitted from a star when it goes supernova |
| radio waves | low energy waves with long wavelengths used for communication over long distances |
| visible light | all the colors of the rainbow - they blend into white - in the middle of the EM spectrum |
| electron cloud | a region around the nucleus where electrons are - a "fuzzy" orbit |
| lewis dot diagram | shorthand way to represent the valence electrons of a given atom |
| isotope | an atom that differs in the number of neutrons |
| valence electron | an electron in the outermost energy level of an atom |
| octet rule | atoms with 8 electrons are chemically stable |
| photon | an energy particle / beam of light - emitted when an electron returns to its natural energy level |
| infrared | the name for "heat" energy on the electromagnetic spectrum |
| energy level | specific areas around the nucleus in which electrons are likely to be found |
| emission spectrum | the specific wavelengths of light given off by a particular atom when its electrons are "excited" |
Combine with other sets
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