Structure of the Atom — Syllabus
Punjab Board · Class 9 · Science
What Structure of the Atom covers in Punjab Board Class 9 Science: 4 topics, for the 2026-27 session. Part of the Punjab Board Class 9 Science syllabus.
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Topics in Structure of the Atom
Charged Particles in Matter – Discovery of Sub-Atomic Particles
- Atoms are NOT indivisible – they contain smaller sub-atomic particles.
- E. Goldstein (1886) discovered canal rays – positively charged radiations in a gas discharge tube.
- Canal rays led to the discovery of the proton – a positively charged sub-atomic particle.
Atomic Models – Thomson, Rutherford, and Bohr
- Thomson's model (Plum Pudding / Watermelon model): Atom is a sphere of positive charge with electrons embedded in it like seeds in a watermelon.
- Thomson's model explained electrical neutrality but FAILED to explain Rutherford's scattering experiment results.
- Rutherford's Gold Foil Experiment: Fast-moving alpha (α) particles were fired at a thin gold foil (1000 atoms thick).
Distribution of Electrons in Shells (Bohr-Bury Scheme)
- The maximum number of electrons in a shell is given by the formula 2n², where n is the shell number.
- K-shell (n=1): maximum 2 electrons
- L-shell (n=2): maximum 8 electrons
Valency
- Valency is the combining capacity of an atom of an element.
- Valency is determined by the number of valence electrons (electrons in the outermost shell).
- If valence electrons ≤ 4: Valency = number of valence electrons (electrons are lost or shared).
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