H2 Chemistry: Atomic Structure Revision
Key Concepts:
a) Subatomic particles (n, p, e)
- relative masses
- deflection in electric field:
relate to charge/mass ratio
𝒒
- deflection, θ = k ( )
𝒎
b) Principle quantum numbers and orbitals
- up to 4p / 5s usually
- s, p, d orbital shapes + descriptions
c) Electronic configurations
- Aufbau Principle: fill up orbitals with electrons starting
from lowest energy to next lowest energy, etc.
- Pauli Exclusion Principle: each orbital can hold max 2 e–,
must be of opposite spins
- Hund’s Rule: orbitals in same subshell are occupied singly
before pairing (minimise interelectronic repulsion)
d) Atomic & ionic radii
- Principle: size of electron cloud (more e– → larger radius) vs. how strongly the electron
cloud is attracted to the nucleus
- Across period: EFFECTIVE NUCLEAR CHARGE
- Down the group: DISTANCE OF OUTERMOST ELECTRONS FROM NUCLEUS
e) Effective nuclear charge (Zeff)
- Resultant positive charge as experienced by electrons
- Nuclear charge (due to protons)
- Shielding/screening effect (due to inner quantum shells ONLY)
- Electrons in the same quantum shell exert negligible shielding on each other
f) Ionisation energies
- Removal of outermost electron as specified by equation:
ALWAYS write ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATION of the atom/ion, stare at valence e–,
consider: i) general trend
ii) different subshell effects (e.g. 2p vs 2s)
iii) interelectronic repulsion (paired e– in same orbital)
e.g. 5th IE of Si
Si4+ (g) → Si5+ (g) + e–
[He] 2s2 2p6 → [He] 2s2 2p5
- Trends and irregularities (across period, down group)
- Across period: EFFECTIVE NUCLEAR CHARGE
- Down the group: DISTANCE OF OUTERMOST ELECTRONS FROM NUCLEUS
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
1. Which one of the following particles has more protons than neutrons and more electrons than protons?
[H = 1H, D = 2H, O = 16O, S = 32S]
A: OH– B: S2– C: D3O+ D: SD2
2. Which one of the following pairs of species is isoelectronic?
A: Mg2+ and NaH B: CN– and N2 C: N2 and Li3N D: LiF and MgH2
3. The first eight ionization energies of an element (in kJ mol–1) are as follows:
966, 1950, 2730, 4850, 6020, 12300, 15400, 18900
Which of the following statements about the element are correct?
1 It is in Group 15 of the Periodic Table.
2 It can form a chloride that is trigonal pyramidal in shape.
3 It has half-filled p-orbitals.
4. Cobalt has a proton number of 27. What is the electronic configuration of the cobalt cation which can
form the complex ion [Co(NH3)4(SCN)2]+? (thiocyanate ion: SCN–)
A: [Ar] 3d5 4s2 B: [Ar] 3d5 4s1 C: [Ar] 3d6 4s0 D: [Ar] 3d7 4s0
5. W and Z are elements with the following successive ionization energies in kJ mol–1.
W 580 1800 2700 11600 14800 18400 23300
Z 1310 3400 5300 7500 11300 13300 20300
W and Z are likely to form a compound of formula:
A: W3Z2 B: W2Z3 C: WZ4 D: W4Z
6. Samples of unknown elements P–Y (with atomic numbers below 20) were passed through a plasma
torch and their second ionization energies recorded and plotted as shown.
Identify the Group in the Periodic Table to which element W belongs and write its ground state
electronic configuration.
7. Iodine is a lustrous purple-black solid at standard conditions that sublimes readily to form a violet gas.
The graph below shows the second ionisation energies of eight elements with consecutive atomic
number.
a) Which of the above elements, A to H, is iodine? Explain your answer.
b) Explain the trend in second ionisation energies from elements A to G, including the irregularity for
element B.
8. The chalcogens, or the oxygen family, are the elements in Group 16 of the Periodic Table. These
elements are common in both organic and inorganic compounds.
The graph below shows the trend in the first ionisation energies of oxygen, sulfur, and selenium.
a) Explain the trend in the first ionisation energies of oxygen, sulfur, and selenium.
b) The pnictogens, or the nitrogen family, are the Group 15 elements. On the same axes above, sketch
the trend in the first ionisation energies of the pnictogens nitrogen, phosphorus, and arsenic.
Explain your reasoning by comparing a suitable chalcogen and pnictogen.
9. The graph below can be used to plot the first IE of the elements gallium to strontium. Four of these
elements have been plotted already.
(i) Use your knowledge of the variation in first IE of the elements of Period 3 (Na to Ar) to estimate
on the graph below, the first IEs of the other four elements: As, Se, Kr, Rb.
1600
1400
1200
1st IE / kJ mol–1
1000
800
600
400
200
0
Ga Ge As Se Br Kr Rb Sr
(ii) Justify your predictions in (i), by explaining why the first IE of each element you have plotted is
higher/lower/similar compared to the element to its left on the graph.
