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IB Diploma · Chemistry · Chapter 2
Ch 2 S1.2 The nuclear atom: complete notes
Neat, exam-ready notebook-style notes for Ch 2 S1.2 The nuclear atom, following the IB Diploma syllabus, SL and HL. This chapter is part of the complete Chemistry Notes for IB Diploma Students (SL and HL): All 23 Topics.
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Free preview: Ch 2 S1.2 The nuclear atom notes
A quick look at the chapter from our IB Diploma Chemistry notes. The full chapter notes have the detailed explanations, diagrams and practice questions with answers.
Topics in this chapter
- What you must be able to do
- The nuclear atom
- The nuclear symbol
- Isotopes
- Chemical and physical properties
- Relative atomic mass of a mixture of isotopes
- Mass spectra
- Mass spectra: more practice
“I can” checklist: what you must be able to do
- I can use \({}^{A}_{Z}X^{n\pm}\) to find protons, neutrons and electrons.
- I can define isotopes and explain their properties.
- I can calculate \(A_r\) from abundances, and abundances from \(A_r\).
- (HL) I can interpret a mass spectrum and calculate \(A_r\) from it.
What is inside the full chapter notes
- Concept notes with 10 worked examples
- Nuclear symbols, ions, isotopes and \(A_r\) calculations
- Mass spectra (HL) with computed spectra
- Common mistakes; investigation (IA) ideas
- 15 Paper 1A-style MCQs (3 HL), explained
- 3 Paper 2-style questions (one HL, data-based) with mark schemes
- Quick-reference sheet and "I can" checklist
What you get in the pack
- All 23 topics of IB Diploma Chemistry for students taking Standard Level or Higher Level (first assessment 2025): the particulate nature of matter, the nuclear atom, electron configurations, the mole, ideal gases, ionic, covalent and metallic bonding, materials and polymers, the periodic table, functional groups, enthalpy changes, energy cycles, fuels, entropy and spontaneity, the amount of chemical change, rate of reaction, equilibrium, acids and bases, redox and electrochemistry, radical reactions, nucleophilic and electrophilic mechanisms
- Every syllabus statement covered in order, each marked SL or HL, with clear notes, tables and diagrams drawn for these notes
- Worked examples in every topic: calculations and model answers that show how to earn the marks
- Original Paper 1A-style multiple-choice questions with explained answers, plus Paper 2-style structured and data-based questions with full mark schemes (no past-paper reprints)
- Common mistakes and investigation (internal assessment) ideas for every topic
- Quick-reference sheet and an "I can" checklist at the end of every topic
- Colour PDF and a black and white copy of every chapter for printing
- Independent notes for IB Diploma students; not endorsed by or affiliated with the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)
All chapters in this pack
- Ch 1 S1.1 Introduction to the particulate nature of matter
- Ch 2 S1.2 The nuclear atom
- Ch 3 S1.3 Electron configurations
- Ch 4 S1.4 Counting particles by mass: the mole
- Ch 5 S1.5 Ideal gases
- Ch 6 S2.1 The ionic model
- Ch 7 S2.2 The covalent model (2.2.1-2.2.7)
- Ch 8 S2.2 The covalent model (2.2.8-2.2.16)
- Ch 9 S2.3 The metallic model
- Ch 10 S2.4 From models to materials
- Ch 11 S3.1 The periodic table
- Ch 12 S3.2 Functional groups
- Ch 13 R1.1 Measuring enthalpy changes
- Ch 14 R1.2 Energy cycles in reactions
- Ch 15 R1.3 Energy from fuels
- Ch 16 R1.4 Entropy and spontaneity (HL)
- Ch 17 R2.1 How much? The amount of chemical change
- Ch 18 R2.2 How fast? The rate of chemical change
- Ch 19 R2.3 How far? The extent of chemical change
- Ch 20 R3.1 Proton transfer reactions
- Ch 21 R3.2 Electron transfer reactions
- Ch 22 R3.3 Electron sharing reactions
- Ch 23 R3.4 Electron-pair sharing reactions