The Role Of Electrons
Why Are Electrons So Important Anyway?
Electron shells
- electrons spin unbelievably fast around the centre of an atom, the nucleus.
- electrons spin in what is called a shell or energy level, which are numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4 and are named K, L, M, and N. An easier way to remember this is imagining a pea as the nucleus of our atom, which sits in a table tennis ball, (K shell) that sits inside a tennis ball, (L shell) which sits inside a basket ball, (M shell) which sits inside a beach ball. (N shell
-the electrons are spinning around fast, whilst staying as far away from each other as they can. (they back away from each other, due to their negative charge)
-There are 2 electrons in the first shell, because the first shell is the smallest and if there were more than two, they would get too close.
-There can be more atoms in the other 3 shells because they are bigger. The L shell can hold a max. of 8 electrons, the M shell can hold a max. of 18 electrons, and the N shell can hold a max. of 32 electrons.
Ions
-If the balance changes, then an atom becomes charged and forms an ion