The chemical element lithium belongs to the first atomic number, which makes it a member of group 1. Symbolized by the letter Li, it has an atomic number of 3. Because of its strong reactivity and flammability, it is typically stored in an inert liquid, such as kerosene, to keep it from igniting.
The presence of moisture makes this alkali metal, which has a metallic shine, susceptible to corrosion. These minerals are frequently found as an ionic compound, such as pegmatite. In addition to electrolysis, lithium can also be extracted from a combination of potassium nitrate and lithium chloride. Other uses include manufacturing glass, pyrotechnics and lithium-ion battery preparation.
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Lithium and its atomic structure will be the subject of our discussion today.
Continue reading to learn more….
Lithium’s Bohr Model
When Ernst Rutherford and Niel Bohr came up with the Bohr-Rutherford model of atoms in 1913, they had no idea what they were talking about.
An earlier version of this model was proposed by Ernst Rutherford in 1911, and this model is actually an improved version of it.
As a result, the older model could not keep pace with classical mechanics and electromagnetic theory in terms of explaining why electrons spinning around the nucleus remained stable.
As defined by the Bohr-Rutherford model, the electrons are the moving particles that rotate around the nucleus in a specific circular orbit with fixed energy and dimensions.
This model, developed by Niels Bohr at the University of Copenhagen, specifies the atomic structure and places and charges of all atomic species. Additionally, the atom’s mass and atomic number are shown graphically.
I’d want to introduce a few words that will help you better understand Lithium’s structure before we move on to the Bohr model. They’re:
The nucleus is the atom’s beating heart. It has a positive charge because of the protons that make up its composition. Neutrons are the other atomic particles in the nucleus.
Positive charge is conferred on atoms by the presence of protons, which are found in the nucleus.
Neutrons are also found in the nucleus, although their charge is undefined.
There are just a few types of atomic particles beyond the nucleus: electrons. They move about the nucleus, unlike other atomic particles, which remain stationary.
A shell is a group of atoms in which the electrons revolve around the nuclei. Energy levels refer to the fact that these predetermined pathways have associated fixed energies.
When it comes to shells of electrons, it is usually the smaller and closer to the atom that has the least energy.
Additionally, the names of the shells are arranged alphabetically and numerically. Increasing from the innermost (K) to the outermost (L) or 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) shell comes the lowest value and goes up from there. The shell’s ability to carry more electrons expands as it moves outward.
According to this definition, the electrons in the K shell, closest to the nucleus, are considered to be in the ground state, carrying the most energy of all the electrons.
Valence electrons are the highest-energy electrons, and the shell in which they are housed is called the valence shell (the shell’s name may vary depending on the atom’s kind).
It is also possible for electrons to leap up and down from their orbits, respectively, into a higher or lower orbit. Energy is absorbed by a specific type of electron, while energy is lost by a specific type of electron.
The nucleus of the Lithium atom has three protons and four neutrons, while three electrons orbit the atom in two shells, i.e. K and L.
Atomic Weight of Lithium
Proton 3’s number
Numerical value for the neutrons: 4
Electron Count 3
Shell count 2
In the initial (K) shell, there are 2 electrons.
Second (L) shell electron number 1
electrons in the valence shell
Creating a Lithium Bohr Model
In the periodic chart, lithium is found in group 1 (period 2) and period 2. Below, you’ll find the address.
The Periodic Table of Elements contains the element lithium
The following is the information we can glean from the Lithium box:
• The atomic number of lithium is 3.
In terms of its electrical structure, lithium has the configuration [He] 2s1.
• The chemical symbol for lithium is Li.
In terms of atomic weight, lithium weighs 6.938 g.
With this information, we can now draw the Bohr model of the lithium atom.
Using a graphing calculator, we can determine how many protons and neutrons are in a Lithium atom by drawing its nucleus.
We’ll begin by determining the amount of protons in the nucleus.
For each given atom, the number of protons is always equal to the atomic number.
There are three lithium atoms in existence.
As a result, the atomic number of lithium is three because of the atom’s three protons.
We’ll also figure out how many neutrons are in a lithium atom.
In order to determine the number of neutrons in an atom, the following formula can be applied:
Atomic mass (rounded to the closest whole number) – number of protons = number of neutrons
The atomic mass of the Lithium atom is 6.938 based on the Lithium box we created above.
We arrive at the number 7 by rounding to the next whole number.
Lithium atoms have three protons, as determined by the formula above.
The following formula can be used to get the neutron count:
7 – 3 = 4 neutrons in the Lithium atom’s nucleus.
This means that Lithium has four neutrons in its nucleus.
The lithium atom’s nucleus can be represented graphically using these values.
Nucleus of lithium
Protons (p+) and neutrons (n°) are depicted in the diagram above.
This time, we’ll figure out how many electrons the Lithium atom has.
The atomic number of an atom equals the number of electrons and protons in an atom, so their total number is the same.
as well as in the case of the lithium atom,
Lithium’s atomic number (3 electrons) is equal to three.
Note that electrons are the only sort of atomic particle found outside of the nucleus at this point.
Depending on its energy, each electron is contained in an unique shell. That’s why each shell can only hold a certain number of electrons.
However, how do we figure out how many electrons there are in a given shell?
Do not fear! To accomplish this, a precise formula is employed. In this case, it is written as 2n2.
As you can see, there are n shells here.
The formula for the atom of lithium will be the same.
As many as 2n2 = 2 electrons are available in the K (initial) shell, hence 1 + 1 + 1 = 2
The K shell of the Lithium atom can only accommodate two electrons. Next, we have this representation of the Lithium atom:
Shell of Lithium-K
Now, the Lithium atom just needs one more electron to complete its second shell.
First, let’s figure out how many electrons there are in the second shell, also known as the L shell.
Two plus two equals two and two equals eight when the formula above is used.
A maximum of eight electrons can fit in an atom’s L shell.
Nevertheless, since we are left with just one electron, we shall place it in the L shell. The following is the final Lithium Bohr model:
The Bohr Model of Lithium Ion
Bohr’s final model of the Lithium atom has 3 protons and 4 neutrons in the nucleus, and 3 electrons around it. The K shell has two electrons, and the L shell has one.
Derivative of Bohr Model for Lewis Diagram
This diagram depicts the structure of an atom in a visual manner.
The atom’s nucleus and valence electrons are seen in this image. This element’s nucleus is depicted by the atomic symbol, which includes two dots for each electron. Thus, the electron dot structure is also known by this name.
Lithium has three valence electrons, as discussed in the preceding section. As a result, the following is the Lewis diagram for lithium:
Lewis Structure for Lithium
Lithium has a wide range of characteristics.
Lithium has the following notable characteristics:
A highly flammable and reactive alkali metal, lithium has a high flash point.
• It has a silvery sheen and a plush feel to it.
• Lithium has a melting point of 180.5 °C and a boiling point of 1342 °C.
Lithium has a density of 0.53 g/cm3 at 20 degrees Celsius.
The isotopes Li6 and Li7 are found in nature, and they can be used in a variety of applications.
Structure of the Lithium atoms is Body-centered cubic lattice.
Related Subjects
Bohr Model of Sodium
The Neon Bohr Model
Model for Phosphorus Bohr in Nuclear Physics
The Neon Bohr Model
Boron Bohr Model
Bohr’s model of argon
Model of the Bohr Chlorine
Model of Bohr Silicon
Conclusion
The nucleus of a lithium atom, according to the Bohr model, contains three protons and four neutrons. The nucleus is surrounded by three electrons, all of which rotate around it.
The atomic number of an atom is equal to the number of protons divided by the number of electrons.
The number of neutrons can be calculated using the following formula:
Atomic mass (rounded to the closest whole number) – number of protons = number of neutrons
The formula 2n2, where n is the number of shells, is used in the Bohr model to compute the maximum number of electrons that can be associated with a shell.
There are two shells in the Lithium atom, the K and L, which have two and one electrons, respectively.
Let the fun begin!
Read more: Structure, Polarity and Hybridization of ClO2- Lewis Structure
