Chlorine atom in 3D
Water treatment and salts. Chlorine chemistry is used in water treatment. Chloride ions are present in common salt. Explore the 3D model, inspect its parts and learn with guided explanations. Free on Atlas.
What you can learn
Water treatment and salts. Chlorine chemistry is used in water treatment. Chloride ions are present in common salt.
Identify chlorine from its proton count.
Count the neutrons in Chlorine-35.
Inspect the occupied electron shells.
Compare the valence shell with a neighbouring element.
Explain what changes when an electron is lost.
Chlorine-35 is one isotope. Natural chlorine also contains chlorine-37, so its standard atomic weight is not exactly 35.
Try an investigation
Identify chlorine from its proton count.
Check your understanding
What identifies an atom as chlorine?
17 protons. Atomic number is proton count. Every chlorine nucleus has 17 protons.
How many neutrons are in Chlorine-35?
18. Neutrons = mass number − atomic number = 35 − 17 = 18. Mass number is not the average atomic weight of natural samples.
How many electrons are in a neutral chlorine atom?
17. A neutral atom balances 17 positive protons with 17 negative electrons.
Which shell count describes neutral chlorine in its ground state?
2, 8, 7. [Ne] 3s² 3p⁵ gives 2, 8, 7 electrons across its occupied shells. Circular paths are only diagram guides.
If this atom loses one electron, what happens to its net charge?
It becomes +1. Losing one negative electron leaves one more proton than electrons. Its 17 protons still identify it as chlorine.
What can this 3D shell model tell you reliably?
The particle counts for the selected neutral isotope. The counts represent a defined isotope and neutral atom. Particle sizes, spacing and circles are simplified teaching symbols.
Sources and model scope
An educational representation. The explorer identifies its data sources, scale choices and simplifications.