Test: Structure of an atom - Year 8 MCQ

If you did not know the answer, you could easily have looked up the chemical symbols to find out what elements they represent

This is a simple representation of a molecule of the element hydrogen. You know that it is an element because there is only one type of atom in the formula

There is no small number after the chemical symbol for sulfur therefore there is only one atom

Counting the capital letters in the formula immediately tells you that answers 2 and 3 must be incorrect (there are 3 capitals so there must be three elements). It is then simply a case of looking up the symbols on the periodic table or in a list of elements

Protons are positively charged particles found in the nucleus of an atom. They determine the atomic number of an element and contribute to its overall positive charge.

Electrons are negatively charged particles with negligible mass compared to protons and neutrons. They orbit around the nucleus in energy levels or shells.

The atomic number of an element represents the number of protons found in the nucleus of its atoms. It determines the element's identity and its position in the periodic table.