An atom of beryllium can be represented as 9 4 Be

Question

An atom of beryllium can be represented as 9 4 Be

Describe the structure of the beryllium atom.
In your answer make reference to the number of sub-atomic particles and where they are found in the atom (5 marks)

Answer 1

The beryllium atom has a nucleus at its center, which contains four positively charged protons and generally neutrons as well. The atom also has five sub-atomic particles, including four electrons which are negatively charged and orbit the nucleus in shells or energy levels. The number 9 represents the total number of particles in an atom of beryllium, including the four protons and typically five or more neutrons. Overall, the structure of the beryllium atom is compact, with most of its mass contained in the small nucleus while its negatively charged electrons occupy much larger areas.