Name:

College ID
Thomas Edison State University
General Chemistry I with Labs (CHE-121)
Section no.: OL010
Semester and year: Jan 2019

Written Assignment 8: The Electronic Structure of Atoms

Answer all assigned questions and problems, and show all work.

1. The blue color of the sky results from the scattering of sunlight by air molecules.
The blue light has a frequency of about 7.5 × 1014 Hz. (a) Calculate the wavelength, in
nm, associated with this radiation, and (b) calculate the energy, in joules, of a single
photon associated with this frequency. (8 points) (Reference: Chang 7.16)

2. (a) What is an energy level? Explain the difference between ground state and excited
state. (b) What are emission spectra: How do line spectra differ from continuous
spectra? (6 points)
a) Energy levels refer to the region around a nucleus where electrons surround an
atom.

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 b) The emission spectra refers to the visible glow that is seen when a material is
energized with thermal or electrical energy. Spectra lines refer to light emitted at
specific wavelengths. In continuous spectra all wavelength of the light are
represented in the spectra.
(Reference: Chang 7.23)

3. Explain the statement, Matter and radiation have “dual nature.” (3 points)

The duality of matter and radiation means that they both can behave like waves and
particles.
(Reference: Chang 7.35)

4. Which of the four quantum numbers (n, ℓ, mℓ, ms) determine (a) the energy of an
electron in a hydrogen atom and in a many-electron atom, (b) the size of an orbital,
(c) the shape of an orbital, (d) the orientation of an orbital in space. (4 points)

a) ms b) n c) ℓ d) mℓ.
(Reference: Chang 7.54)

5. Determine the maximum number of electrons that can be found in each of the
following subshells: 3s, 3d, 4p, 4f. (2 points)

3s can hold 2
3d can hold 10
4p can hold 6
4f can hold 14
(Reference: Chang 7.65)

6. How many electrons would fill the third energy level (n = 3)? (2 points)

3s2 3p6 3d10=18

7. Explain the meaning of the symbol 4d6. (2 points)

4d6 means that there are 6 electrons in the 4d orbital

(Reference: Chang 7.72)

8. For each of the following pairs of subshells, indicate which is higher in energy: (a)
2s or 2p, (b) 3d or 4p, (c) 4s or 4p, (d) 3d or 4s. (4 points)

a) 2p b) 4p c) 4p. d) 3d

9. Explain the meaning of diamagnetic and paramagnetic. Give an example of an

element that is diamagnetic and one that is paramagnetic. What does it mean when
we say that electrons are paired? (3 points) (Reference: Chang 7.73)

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 Atoms in which one or more electrons are unpaired are paramagnetic (e.g. Al).
Atoms in which all the electron spins are paired are diamagnetic (e.g. N). Pairing of
electrons refer to electrons sharing the same orbital and contain opposite spins.

10. Write the ground-state electron configurations for the following elements: (12 points)

(Reference: Chang 7.89)

11. The electron configuration of a neutral atom is 1s22s22p63s2. Name the element.
(2 points) (Reference: Chang 7.91)

Mg

12. A 368 g sample of water absorbs infrared radiation at 1.06 × 104 nm from a carbon
dioxide laser. Suppose all the absorbed radiation is converted to heat. Calculate the
number of photons at this wavelength required to raise the temperature of the water by
5.00ºC.
(4 points)
(Reference: Chang 7.107)

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13. Draw orbital diagrams for atoms with the following electron configurations: (9 points)
a. 1s22s22p5

b. 1s22s22p63s23p3

c. 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d7

(Reference: Chang 7.121)

14. Define the following terms and principles: (8 points)

a. Heisenberg uncertainty principle
This principle states that it is impossible for us to know simultaneously both the
exact momentum of the electron and its exact location in space.

b. Aufbau principle
This principle dictates that as protons are added one by one to the nucleus to build
up the elements, electrons are similarly added to the atomic orbitals.
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 c. Pauli exclusion principle
This states that no two electrons in an atom can have the same four quantum
numbers.

d. Hund’s rule
The most stable arrangement of electrons in subshells is the one with the greatest
number of parallel spins.

15. What are valence electrons? How many valence electrons do each of the following
elements have: (a) H, (b) Ca, (c) Al, (d) N, (e) O, (f) Cl, (g) He, and (h) Ne? (4
points)
Valence electrons refer to the outer electrons of an atom, which are those involved in
chemical bonding.
a) H = 1. (b) Ca = 2. (c) Al = 3. (d) N = 5. (e) O = 6. (f) Cl = 7 (g) He = 2 and (h) Ne = 8
(Reference: Chang 8.12)

16. In the periodic table, the element hydrogen is sometimes grouped with the alkali
metals and sometimes with the halogens. Explain why hydrogen can resemble the
Group 1A and the Group 7A elements. (2 points)
This property of hydrogen is due to the fact that it has one valency electron. It can lose
this electron or accept and electron to achieve a stable configuration. In other words,
behaving like a group 1A element it gives up and electron to have a 1+ valency or like
group 7A, accept an electron to achieve a full valency shell.
(Reference: Chang 8.19)

17. Group the following electron configurations in pairs that would represent similar
chemical properties of their atoms: (3 points)
a. 1s22s22p63s2. Mg. & d) 1s22s2 Be

b. 1s22s22p3. N & f) 1s22s22p63s23p3 P

c. 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d104p6 Kr. & e) 1s22s22p6 Ne

(Reference: Chang 8.21)

18. Write the ground-state electron configurations of the following ions: (12 points)

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 (Reference: Chang 8.27)

19. Which of the following species are isoelectric with each other? C, Cl–, Mn+2, B–, Ar,
Zn, Fe+3, Ge+2. (4 points)
(Reference: Chang 8.31)
Mn+2 & Fe+3, Cl– & Ar, C & B– , Zn & Ge+2

20. On the basis of their positions in the periodic table, select the atom with the larger
atomic radius in each of the following pairs: (4 points)
a. Na, Cs => Cs b. Be, Ba. => Ba c. N, Sb => Sb d. F, Br => Br
(Reference: Chang 8.37)

21. Why do elements that have high ionization energies also have more positive electron
affinities? Generally, which elements have the highest ionization energies? Which
elements would have the lowest? (2 points)
(Reference: Chang 8.129)
Electrons with high ionization energies are very stable and as such they have have
more positive electron affinity.
He has the highest ionization energy and Fr has the lowest.

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