CHEM 101A TOPIC E

ATOMIC STRUCTURE AND PERIODICITY

WHAT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED THIS TOPIC:
Electromagnetic radiation
1) Interconvert frequency and wavelength for electromagnetic radiation, and relate each of these
to photon energy in J (per photon) and in kJ/mol. ( = c and Ephoton= h )
Electron energy levels and atomic emission spectra
2) Recognize that electrons can only exist in certain allowed energy states.
3) Recognize that in light emission and absorption, the photon energy equals the energy
difference between two electron energy states. ( Ephoton = |Eelectron| )
4) Understand the measurement and meaning of ionization energy.
Special case: Bohr model (electronic structure of a one-electon atom or ion)
5) Use the Bohr energy equation to calculate the energies of the quantum levels in a hydrogen
atom and in one-electron ions.
6) Calculate the energy, wavelength or frequency of light that corresponds to any electron
transition in a one-electron atom or ion (using the Rydberg equation or the Bohr energy equation.)
General case: Quantum Mechanical model (modern electronic structure of an atom)
7) Understand that an energy state for a one-electron atom can be described by a wave function
(atomic orbital); and describe the general shape of s, p and d orbitals.
8) Understand the relationship between atomic wave functions (atomic orbitals) and the
quantum numbers n, l, and ml.
9) Know and apply the rules that govern the allowed values of the quantum numbers n, l, and ml.
10) Understand the physical meaning of 2 and 2V .
11) Understand that one-electron wave functions (atomic orbitals) can be used to build-up a
total wave function describing a multi-electron atom (i.e. electron configurations.)
12) Understand how orbital energy for one-electron atoms depends only on quantum number n
and how orbital energy for multi-electron atoms depends on the quantum numbers n, l, and ml.
13) Understand how the quantum number ms describes electron spin, and the significance of the
Pauli Principle and Hunds Rule in multi-electron atoms.
14) Predict the electron configurations for all of the elements in the periodic table, and identify a
configuration as diamagnetic or paramagnetic.
15) Relate the electron configurations of the elements to the following properties, with a focus on
the periodic nature of these properties:
a) Ionization energy
b) Atomic radius
c) Ionic radius
e) Electronegativity
f) Electron affinity
READING ASSIGNMENT:
Chapter 12: read all of the chapter except sections 12.6, 12.11, 12.14 and 12.16.
RELEVANT PROBLEMS:
(7th edition): Chapter 12, problems 21, 25, 27, 33, 38, 41, 43, 47, 59, 63, 66, 77, 91, 93, 97,
99, 100, 101, 141, and 150 (parts a through d).
(6th edition): Chapter 12, problems 21, 23, 25, 31, 35, 37, 39, 43, 53, 57, 58, 65, 67, 79, 81,
85, 87, 88, 89, 129, and 138 (parts a through d).
(5th edition): Chapter 12, problems 23, 25, 27, 31, 33, 35, 37, 49, 53, 58, 66, 69, 77, 79, 81,
82, 85, 95, 131, and 139 (parts a through d).

CHEM 101A

TOPIC E HOMEWORK PROBLEMS

1) The emission spectrum of oxygen contains a line that has a photon energy of 194.3 kJ/mol.
Based on this statement, which of the following statements are correct? Circle all of the correct
answers.
a) Oxygen atoms have an energy level at 194.3 kJ/mol.
b) Oxygen atoms have an energy level at 194.3 kJ/mol.
c) Oxygen atoms have an energy level that is 194.3 kJ/mol above the ground state.
d) Oxygen atoms have an energy level that is 194.3 kJ/mol below the ground state.
2) A hydrogen atom contains just one electron, so it can produce only one wavelength of light
(and therefore only one color of light) at a time. Why then do we see many different colors of
light simultaneously when we observe the emission spectrum of hydrogen?
3) In the Schrdinger equation, E gives you information about a property of the electron. Which of
the following is that property?
a) The total energy of the electron.
b) The potential energy of the electron.
c) The kinetic energy of the electron.
d) The thermal energy of the electron.
4) If you want to know the distance from the nucleus at which an electron is most likely to be found,
should you look at a probability distribution plot (electron density map) or at a radial probability
distribution plot? Or would both of them give you the answer? Explain your reasoning.
5) If you wanted to know the locations of the spherical nodes in an orbital, should you look at a
probability distribution plot (electron density map) or at a radial probability distribution plot? Or
would both of them give you the answer? Explain your reasoning.
6)

a) How does a 1s orbital differ from a 2s orbital?

b) How does a 2s orbital differ from a 2p orbital?
c) How does a 2px orbital differ from a 2py orbital?

7) The line spectrum of rubidium (Rb) includes the following electron transitions:
795.0 nm
[Kr]5p [Kr]5s
421.7 nm
[Kr]6p [Kr]5s
2791 nm
[Kr]6p [Kr]6s
The ionization energy of rubidium is 403.0 kJ/mol. Using this information, calculate the energies of
the 5s, 5p, 6s and 6p orbitals in rubidium, and draw an energy diagram that shows these five orbitals.
8) Arrange each of the following sets of atoms or ions in order of increasing radius (i.e. from smallest
to largest):
a) Ba, Ca, Cs, Sc
b) Br, Rb+, Se2, Sr2+
c) Zr2+, Zr3+, Zr4+
9)

a) Which has the higher energy in a hydrogen atom, the 3s orbital or the 3px orbital?
b) Which has the higher energy in a phosphorus atom, the 3s orbital or the 3px orbital?
c) Which has the higher energy in an iron atom, the 4s or the 3dxy orbital?
d) Which has the higher energy in an Fe2+ ion, the 4s or the 3dxy orbital?