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Physical Science
Quarter 3 – Module1.1:
Atomic Number and Synthesis of
New Elements
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What I Need to Know

This learning module was designed to help the students to learn the key concepts of
atomic number and mass number and its role in yielding new synthetic elements in
the laboratories. This learning module deals with the understanding the concept of
atomic number that leads to produce new elements. To further enhance the students’
learning, different learning activities are provided in this module. The lesson is
presented in an easy way in order to address the learning difficulties of the students
by using language level at par with their comprehension. Based on the recent study,
students learn more if they are actively engaged in the textbook they are using. This
learning module can help to improve the student’s academic achievement in this
subject. With this material, students can work in less supervision of the teacher.
The module is contained one lesson.
• Lesson 1 – Atomic Number and Synthesis of New Elements
The most essential learning competency for this module.
Explain how the concept of atomic number led to the synthesis of new elements in
the laboratory (S11/12PS-IIIb-11)
After going through this module, you are specifically expected to:
1. Define atomic number;
2. Determine the atomic number and mass number of the given element, and
3. Explain how the concept of atomic number led to the synthesis of new
elements in the laboratory.

What I Know

Identify the key term referred in each statement. Write your answer on a
separate sheet of paper.

__________1. The sum of the number of neutrons and protons in the nucleus of an
atom.
__________2. It refers to the number of protons in the nucleus of an element.

__________3. A devise used in increasing the electrically charged atomic particle.

__________4. It is the first ever man-made element developed.

__________5. A particle that consists of proton and neutron in synthesizing element

in cyclotron.

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Lesson
Atomic number and
1 Synthesis of new elements
In 1913, Henry Moseley arranged the elements in the periodic table based on their
increasing atomic number. Up to this date, his work is very significant because the
elements are still arranged in terms of atomic number. The atomic number refers to
the number of protons in the atom’s nucleus. It is also the basis of element’s identity.
More so, the number of protons in an element determines the electrons that
surround the nucleus. The atomic number of an element helps the scientists to
synthesize new elements in the laboratories.

What’s In

What are two words that you can form from these pictures?

Atomic number, what is atomic number? Atomic number refers to the number of
protons found in the nucleus of an atom. As you explore this learning material you
will learn the concept atomic number and its important role in yielding new elements
in the laboratory.

What’s New

What is the essential role of atomic number in creating new elements?

The atomic number and mass number

The X-ray spectroscopy of Henry Moseley, an English physicist played a significant
development in determining the atomic number of the elements. In his experiment,
the different beam of electrons bombarded with other elements produced varying
frequencies of x-ray spectral lines. He measured and concluded that these
frequencies revealed by the elements in his worked were similar location in the

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periodic table of elements. Therefore, he assigned these frequencies as the atomic
number of each element. The atomic number indicates the number of protons found
in the nucleus of each element. It also serves as the identity of an atom.

In a neutral atom, the number of protons is equal to the number of electrons. Thus,
atomic number is equal to the number of electrons in a neutral atom. For instance,
aluminum has an atomic number of 13, meaning each neutral atom of aluminum
has 13 protons and 13 electrons. In general, the acceptable representation of atomic
number is this symbol, capital Z. The total number of neutrons and protons in the
nucleus of an atom referred mass number. The mass number represents by this
symbol, capital A.

X
Z

Where:
X is element symbol
A is the mass number
Z is the atomic number
Mass number (A) = number of protons (p+) + number of neutrons (n0)
= Atomic number (Z) + number of neutrons (n0)
Atomic number (Z) = number of protons (p+) = number of electrons (e-)
Number of neutrons (n0) = Mass number (A) - number of protons (p+)
Note:
Protons are positive charge, electrons are negative charge and neutrons are neutral or
no charge.

Let us try this

Fill in what is missing in the ZApen table.

Element (e-) (n0)

Z A (p+)
Symbol

Mg 12 24 12 12 12
Al 13 27 13 13 14

For Mg: For Al:

Z is 12, = #p+ and #e- which is 12 p+ is 13 = A and #e- which is 13
no = A - p+ A = p + no
= 24 – 12 = 13 + 14
= 12 = 27

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The synthesis of new elements

Most of the elements are found naturally, but there are some elements can be
produced in the laboratories. The scientists used particle accelerator to synthesize
new synthetic elements. The particle accelerator is a device used to speed up the
electrically charged atomic particles or subatomic particles by using magnetic and
electrical fields.

In 1930, the element 92, Uranium was the heaviest element discovered at that time.
The eagerness of scientists to study and discover the behavior and characteristics of
the elements challenged them to create new elements. By the year 1937, Ernest
Lawrence used linear particle accelerator in creating element 43 by bombarding the
atoms of molybdenum with atomic number 42 with fast moving electrons. He named
this element 43 as Technetium. The first man-made element.

In 1940, the element astatine with atomic number 85 is synthesized by the

collaboration of three great scientists, Emilio Segre, Kenneth Mackenzie and Dale
Corson by bombarding the atoms of element bismuth with atomic number 83 using
the fast moving alpha particle. In the same year, Edwin McMillan used particle
accelerator to bombard uranium with neutrons that led him to discover the element
with atomic number 93. He called it neptunium. In the late 1940, the four scientists
namely, Glenn Seaborg, Edwin McMillan, Joseph Kennedy and Arthur Wahl
synthesized element 94 by bombarding the uranium with deuterons in the cyclotron.
The cyclotron is a particle accelerator used in alternating electric field to accelerate
particles that move in a spiral path in the presence of a magnetic field. The deuterons
are particles made of a proton and a neutron. They named the element 94 to
plutonium. In the periodic table of elements, elements with atomic number higher
than 92 are belong to the group or family of transuranium elements. Since, elements
neptunium and plutonium have atomic number 93 and 94 respectively are grouped
in the family of transuranium elements. These elements are unstable and
radioactively decay into other elements. The transuranium elements are created
using nuclear reactors or particle accelerators. The particle accelerators are used to
create new elements in the laboratory. These elements are synthesized in the
laboratory and considered as synthetic elements.

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What is It

After reading the text in What’s new. Let us see how far you have learned this topic.
Fill in what is missing in the ZApen table. Use a separate sheet of paper for your
answer.

Element Symbol Z A (p+) (e) (n0)

Ar 18 40

O 8 8

N 7 7

P 15 25

Bi 83 126

Be 4 9

Mo 42 54

What’s More

Match the term in Column A to Column B. Use a separate sheet of paper for
your answer.
A B

_____1. Transuranium elements a. Fast moving alpha particle.

_____2. Ernest Lawrence b. Plutonium.

_____3. Dale Corson et.,al. c. Heaviest element.

_____4. Glenn Seaborg et.,al. d. Unstable and decay radioactively.

_____5. Uranium e. Linear particle accelerator.

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What I Have Learned

1. The atomic number indicates the number of protons found in the nucleus of
each element.
2. Mass number is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of
an atom.
3. The deuteron is a devise used in increasing the electrically charged atomic
particle.
4. The particle accelerators are used to create new elements in the laboratory.
5. The cyclotron is a particle accelerator used in alternating electric field to
accelerate particles that move in a spiral path in the presence of a magnetic
field.
6. The mass number symbol is capital A, for the atomic number capital Z.
7. The transuranium elements are unstable and radioactively decay into other
elements.

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What I Can Do

Using the periodic table of elements. Determine the atomic number and predict
the name of element and element symbol from the given number of electrons.
Use a separate sheet of paper for your answer.

Number of
Atomic Number Element name Element symbol
electrons

29
30
19
14
26

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Assessment

Multiple Choice. Read and analyze each question. Write the letter that
corresponds to your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. The atomic number is based from the number of__________.

a. protons and electrons in the c. electrons and neutrons in the
atom’s nucleus. atom’s nucleus.
b. protons in the atom’s d. electrons in the atom’s
nucleus. nucleus.
2. The mass number of an element is determined by________.
a. the number of protons in the c. the number of electrons in the
nucleus. nucleus.
b. the number of protons and d. the number of protons and
neutrons in the nucleus. electrons in the nucleus.
3. The atomic number is equal to the number of ______.
a. electrons and neutrons c. protons and electrons
b. protons and neutrons d. mass number and electrons
4. The atomic number of lithium is 3, how many numbers of protons and electrons
will the lithium have?
a. 3 protons and 6 electrons c. 2 protons and 1 electron
b. 1 proton and 2 electrons d. 3 protons and 3 electrons
5. The mass number of magnesium is 24, therefore, magnesium atom has______.
a. 12 protons and 12 electrons c. 12 protons and 12 neutrons
b. 12 electrons and 12 neutrons d. 24 protons and 0 neutrons
6. The element technetium has an atomic number of_______.
a. 43 c. 93
b. 45 d. 94
7. What is the element discovered by Edwin McMillan?
a. Technetium c. Neptunium
b. Plutonium d. Uranium
8. The particle accelerator is used to synthesize new elements, which of the following
pairs is the correct match?
a. Linear particle accelerator to c. Cyclotron particle accelerator
technetium to uranium
b. Fast moving alpha particle to d. Chemical particle accelerator
plutonium to neptunium
9. A particle that is composed of a proton and neutron.
a. Cyclotron c. Deuteron
b. Dendeteron d. Celeron
10. Which of the following elements is belong to the family of transuranium
elements?
a. Carbon c. Molybdenum
b. Technetium d. Plutonium

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Additional Activities

Using the periodic table of elements. Complete what is missing in each box. Use
a separate sheet of paper for your answer.

Element
# of p+ Z A # of e- # of no Element name
symbol

52

22

19

83

32