Atoms and Elements

June 2002

The symbol of an element is 45

21Sc.
How many electrons does one atom of this element contain?
A

21

24

45

66

The diagram shows the electronic structure of an atom.

key
= nucleus
e e

e
e

e
e

e
e

e
e e

What is the number of protons in the nucleus?

A

13

= electron

November 2002
3

The diagrams show the nuclei of four different atoms.

Q

T
key

10 p
10 n

10 p
12 n

14 p
14 n

12 p
14 n

p = proton
n = neutron

Which two atoms are isotopes of each other?

A

Q and R

Q and T

R and S

S and T

4
2He

Which atom has twice as many neutrons as protons?

A

1
1H

2H
1

3
1H

June 2003

Which number in the table is 1?

particle

charge

relative mass

electron

neutron

proton

What is the electronic structure of an atom with a proton number 5 and a nucleon number 11?
A

1, 8, 2

2, 8, 1

2, 3

3, 2

November 2003
7

The table shows the electronic structures of four elements.

Which element is a noble gas?
number of electrons
element

shell 1

shell 2

The diagrams show four particles.

e
e

e
e

e
e

e
e

2p
2n

3p
3n

3p
3n

3p
4n

e
e
3

4
e = electron
= nucleus

Which two diagrams show atoms that are isotopes of each other?
A

1 and 2

1 and 3

2 and 3

2 and 4

June 2004
9

The electronic structure of an element is shown.

e e
e e
e e
e
e

key
e
e

electron
nucleus

e e

Which diagram shows the electronic structure of another element in the same group in the
Periodic Table?
A

e e

e e
e e
e e

e e
e
e

e
e

e e

e e
e

D
e

e e

e e
e

e e
e
e

e
e
e e

10 The proton number of helium is 2.

What information does this give about helium?
A

Its atom has two electrons.

Its atom is twice as heavy as a hydrogen atom.

It is a Group II element.

Its molecule has two atoms.

November 2004
11 Hydrogen and helium have isotopes, as shown.
In which of these isotopes does the nucleus have twice as many neutrons as protons?
A
B
C
D

2
1H
3
1H
3
2 He
4
2 He

12 How are the electrons arranged in a neon atom, Ne, and a sodium ion, Na+?
sodium ion
ee
ee
e

neon atom
ee
ee

e
e

e
e

e
e

ee

ee
ee

e
e

ee

e
e

e
e
ee

e
e

e
e
ee
e
ee
ee

ee
ee

e
e

e
e

e
e

e
e

ee

ee

ee
ee

ee
ee

e
e

e
e
ee

electron
nucleus

ee

key

e
e

e
e
ee

June 2005
13 Two isotopes of helium are 32 He and 42 He .
Which two diagrams show the arrangement of particles in these two isotopes?
3
2 He

4
2 He

e e

e e

2 p
1 n

2 p
2 n

key
e
e

e electron
p proton
n neutron

e e
1 p
2 n

nucleus

e e
2 p
2 n

e e

e e

2 p
1 n

2 p
2 n

e e

e e

3 p

4 p

e
e

14 Which row gives the outer electronic shell of fluorine and of neon?
9F

10Ne

10

10

November 2005

15 What do the nuclei in a hydrogen molecule contain?

A

electrons and neutrons

electrons and protons

neutrons only

protons only

16 Which statements about isotopic atoms of the same element are correct?
different number of
electrons

different number of
neutrons

November 2006

17 Which number is different for isotopes of the same element?

A

number of electrons

number of full shells

number of nucleons

number of protons

18 The table shows the nucleon numbers and proton numbers of some atoms.
nucleon number

35

37

40

39

40

proton number

17

17

18

19

19

How many are atoms of non-metallic elements?

A

June 2007
19 An atom has the symbol qp X .
Which value determines the position of the element in the Periodic Table?
A

pq

p+q

20 Element Y is in the second Period of the Periodic Table. An atom of element Z has six more
protons than an atom of element Y.
Which statement must be correct?
A

Elements Y and Z are in the same Period.

Elements Y and Z have the same number of electrons in the first shell.

Element Z has six more electrons in its outer shell than element Y.

The nucleon number of element Z is six more than that of element Y.

November 2007
21 Students are asked to draw a diagram of an atom with symbol 31 X .
Which diagram is correct?
B

D
key
p proton

e
p
nn

p
e

p p
nnn

n neutron
e electron
nucleus

June 2008
22 The table shows the numbers of particles present in the nuclei of four atoms or ions.
protons

neutrons

electron structure

18

22

2,8,8

19

20

2,8,8

19

21

2,8,8,1

20

20

2,8,8,2

Which two particles belong to the same element?

A

1 and 2

1 and 4

2 and 3

23 What are the nucleon numbers for carbon and magnesium?

carbon

magnesium

12

24

12

12

12

24

November 2008
24 What do the nuclei in hydrogen molecules contain?
A

electrons and neutrons

electrons and protons

neutrons only

protons only

2 and 4

25 The diagram shows part of the Periodic Table.

W
Y

Which element is correctly matched with its electronic structure?

element

electronic structure

2,8,1

2,4

2,8,2

2,8

June 2009
26 An element S has the proton number 18. The next element in the Periodic Table is an element T.
Which statement is correct?
A

Element T has one more electron in its outer shell than element S.

Element T has one more electron shell than element S.

Element T is in the same group of the Periodic Table as element S.

Element T is in the same period of the Periodic Table as element S.

November 2009
27 Atom X has 8 more electrons than atom Y.
Student 1 says they are in the same group.
Student 2 says they are unreactive.
Which students can be correct?
student 1

student 2

28 Which number is different for isotopes of the same element?

A

number of electrons

number of full shells

number of nucleons

number of protons

29 Which atom has two more electrons than an atom of a noble gas?
A

aluminium

bromine

calcium

rubidium

June 2010
30 Which row shows the change that takes place when element X gains the new particle shown?
particle gained

change

electron

an isotope of element X is formed

electron

the element one place to the right of X in the Periodic Table is formed

proton

an isotope of element X is formed

proton

the element one place to the right of X in the Periodic Table is formed

31 The diagram shows an atom.

key

e e

electron
nucleus containing
nine particles

e e

What is the proton number and neutron number of the atom?

proton
number

neutron
number

32 The symbols of two atoms may be written as shown.

52
23

52
24 Y

Which statement about these atoms is correct?

A

They are different elements because they have different numbers of neutrons.

They are different elements because they have different numbers of protons.

They are isotopes of the same element because they have the same nucleon number.

They are isotopes of the same element because they have the same proton number.

November 2010
33 Element X has a nucleon (mass) number of 19 and a proton (atomic) number of 9.
To which group in the Periodic Table does it belong?
A

III

VII

34 Two isotopes of hydrogen are 11H and 21H .

Which diagram shows the arrangement of particles in the two isotopes?

1
1H

2
1H

p
e

p
n

p
p

e
D

p
n

p
n

key
e = an electron
p = a proton
n = a neutron
= a nucleus

June 2011
35 The diagram shows part of the Periodic Table.

A
C

Which element is correctly matched with its electronic structure?

electronic structure
A

2,8,1

2,4

2,8,2

2,8

November 2011

36 Two isotopes of helium are 32 He and 42 He.

Which two diagrams show the arrangement of particles in these two isotopes?

3
2 He

4
2 He

e e

e e

2 p
1 n

2 p
2 n

key
e
e

e = electron
p = proton
n = neutron

e e
B

1 p
2 n

= nucleus

e e
e

2 p
2 n

e e

e e

2 p
1 n

2 p
2 n

e e

e e

3 p

4 p

e
e

June 2012

37 An element Y has the proton number 18.

The next element in the Periodic Table is an element Z.
Which statement is correct?
A

Element Z has one more electron in its outer shell than element Y.

Element Z has one more electron shell than element Y.

Element Z is in the same group of the Periodic Table as element Y.

Element Z is in the same period of the Periodic Table as element Y.

38 Which atom has twice as many neutrons as protons?

1
1H

2
1H

3
1H

4
2 He

November 2012
39 Which statements comparing the properties of electrons, neutrons and protons are correct?
neutrons and protons are
both heavier than electrons

only electrons and

neutrons are charged

40 Which row gives the number of electrons in the outer electron shell of fluorine and of neon?
19
9F

20
10 Ne

10

10

November 2013
41 Element X has 7 protons.
Element Y has 8 more protons than X.
Which statement about element Y is correct?
A

Y has more electron shells than X.

Y has more electrons in its outer shell than X.

Y is in a different group of the Periodic Table from X.

Y is in the same period of the Periodic Table as X

42 Which statements about a sodium atom,

23
11 Na,

are correct?

The number of protons and neutrons is the same.

The number of protons and electrons is the same.

The number of outer electrons is one.

1, 2 and 3

1 and 2 only

1 and 3 only

2 and 3 only

June 2014

43 The diagram shows the structure of an atom of element X.

e
e e
5p
6n

e e

What is X?
A

boron

carbon

sodium

sulfur

key
e = electron
n = neutron
p = proton
= nucleus

44 The diagrams show four particles.

2p
2n

3p
3n

key
e = an electron
n = a neutron
p = a proton
= nucleus

3p
3n

3p
4n

November 2014

45 What is different for isotopes of the same element?

A

nucleon number

number of electron shells

number of electrons in the outer shell

proton number

46 Which element has the atomic structure shown?

e e
e e

key

e e
e
e

e electron
e
e

16n

n neutron
e

nucleus

e e
e

Al

Si

ATOMS AND ELEMENTS

1

11

21

31

41

12

22

32

42

13

23

33

43

14

24

34

44

15

25

35

45

16

26

36

46

17

27

37

18

28

38

19

29

39

10

20

30

40