The
Atoms are complex particles that are composed
in turn of more or less particles. Each atom is like
a planetary system in which the positively-charged protons of the nucleus, interact with the negatively-charged electrons in the periphery.
These interactions, which condition their behavior, can be measured
indirectly by studying certain properties of atoms.
We are interested in the following properties of the atoms :
- Size: We will consider the size of an atom as the space occupied by its electron cloud.
- Ionization potential:
It is the energy that must be given to an atom in a gaseous state
to remove its outermost electron. The reactions between
Atoms (and molecules) are established through exchange or sharing
of electrons and, therefore, it is an important parameter to know
its reactivity.
- Electron affinity: It is the energy that is lost
or is gained when an atom accepts an electron in its outermost available shell. It is a qualitatively complementary parameter
of the ionization potential. Both allows us to know its reactivity.
- Electronegativity:
It is the ability of an atom to attract towards itself a pair
of electrons that it shares with another atom to form a bond. This
parameter is paramount to understand the reactivity of the
molecules.
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