First20atoms

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The first twenty atoms on the Period Table are shown below. It is set up to show the number of electrons (yellow dots) and the orbits that each atom has. To keep the table from getting cluttered, the nucleus is represented by a blue dot (protons) and red dots (neutrons). The number of electrons will equal the number of protons in an atom's normal state. For example, hydrogen has one electron and therefore has one proton. Helium has two electrons and has two protons even though you only see one dot. Chlorine has 17 electrons and therefore has 17 protons even though you only see one blue dot. The number of neutrons don't always equal the number of electrons and protons so be careful.

Notice how the Periodic Table is set up. Hydrogen is number 1 because it has 1 proton and 1 electron (1 of each). Helium is number 2 because it has 2 protons and 2 electrons (2 of each). Lithium is number 3 because it has 3 protons and 3 electrons (3 of each). The fourth atom has 4 of each. The 5 atom has 5 of each and so on. As you go down the list of atoms you will realize that you are just adding an electron, proton (and for the sake of simplicity a neutron). See if you can figure out which orbit the electron will go into for the next atom as you go down the list of 20.