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Unit 1 - Atomic Structure

& Properties - Questions

1.1 Moles and Molar Mass

1.2 Mass Spectroscopy of Elements
1.3 Elemental Composition of Pure Substances
1.4 Composition of Mixtures
1.5 Atomic Structure & Electron Configuration
1.6 Photoelectron Spectroscopy
1.7 Periodic Trends
1.8 Valence Electrons & Ionic Compounds
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1.1 MC Questions
1. A solution is prepared by adding 16. g of CH3OH (molar mass 32 g) to 90. g of H2O (molar
mass 18 g). The mole fraction of CH3OH in this solution is closest to which of the
following?

O
A 0.1 B 0.2 C 0.3 D 0.4 E 0.6

2. A solution of methanol, CH3OH, in water is prepared by mixing together 128 g of

methanol and 108 g of water. The mole fraction of methanol in the solution is closest to

A 0.80 B 0.60 C 0.50 D 0.40 O E 0.20

3. How many carbon atoms are contained in 2.8 g of C2H4 ?

O
A 1.2 x 10 23
B 3.0 x 1023 C 6.0 x 1023 D 1.2 x 1024 E 6.0 x 1024

4. In 1.00 mol of potassium zirconium sulfate trihydrate, K4Zr(SO4)4 • 3 H2O, there are

A 3 x 6.02 x 1023 hydrogen atoms B 6.02 x 1023 sulfur atoms

O
C 4 x 6.02 x 10 23
potassium atoms D 4 moles of oxygen atoms

E 4 moles of zirconium atoms

5. A student has a 1g sample of each of the following compounds: NaCl, KBr, and KCl. Which
of the following lists the samples in order of increasing number of moles in the sample?

A NaCl < KCl < KBr B NaCl < KBr < KCl

C KCl < NaCl < KBr D KBr < KCl < NaCl O
6. A student obtains a sample of a pure solid compound. In addition to Avogadro’s number,
which of the following must the student know in order to determine how many molecules
are in the sample?

A Mass of the sample, volume of the sample

B Mass of the sample, density of the sample

O
C Molar mass of the compound, mass of the sample

D Molar mass of the compound, density of the sample

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7. Which of the following numerical expressions gives the number of particles in 2.0g of Ne ?

A B

O

C D
( ) ( )

8. According to the information in the table shown,

a 1.00 g sample of which of the following contains
the greatest mass of oxygen?

A Na2O B MgO O
C K2O D CaO

1.1 FRQ
1. Answer the following questions related to the analysis of CaBr2.
a) A student has a 10.0g sample of CaBr2 . Show the setup of the calculation to
determine the number of moles of CaBr2 in the sample. Include units in the setup.
(You do not need to do any calculations.)
(The following or an equivalent variant)

10.00 g CaBr2 ÷ 199.88 g/mol

(Molar mass can be written with any number of significant figures)

b) What number, in addition to the answer to part a), is needed to determine the
number of atoms of Ca in the sample?
The response gives the term “Avogadro’s number” or the value of Avogadro’s number,
(with any number of significant figures, units of or per mole are not required).
c) A different student is given a 10.0g sample labeled CaBr2 that may contain an inert
(nonreacting) impurity. Identify a quantity from the results of laboratory analysis
that the student could use to determine whether the sample was pure.
One from Mass of Ca in sample Number of moles of Ca in sample
Mass of Br in sample Number of moles of Br in sample
Mass or number of moles of element other than Ca or Br in sample

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1.2 MC Questions
1. The mass spectrum of the element Sb is most likely represented by which of the
following?

A B O

C D

2. Which of the following elements has the

mass spectrum represented opposite?

A Nb O
B Mo
C U D Cf

3. The mass spectrum of a sample of a pure element is shown below.

Based on the data, the peak at 26amu represents
an isotope of which of the following elements?

A Al with 13 neutrons

O
B Mg with 14 neutrons
C Fe with 26 neutrons
D Ti with 26 neutrons
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4. The elements I and Te have similar
average atomic masses.

A sample that was believed to be a

mixture of I and Te was run through
a mass spectrometer, resulting in the
data opposite.

All of the following statements are true.

Which one would be the best basis for

concluding that the sample was pure Te?

A Te forms ions with a −2 charge, whereas I forms ions with a −1 charge.

B Te is more abundant than I in the universe.

O
C I consists of only one naturally occurring isotope with 74 neutrons,
whereas Te has more than one isotope.
D I has a higher first ionization energy than Te does

5.

The mass spectrum of element X is

presented in the diagram opposite.

Based on the spectrum, which of the

following can be concluded about
element X?

A X is a transition metal, and each peak represents an oxidation state of the metal.
B X contains five electron sublevels.
C The atomic mass of X is 90.

O
D The atomic mass of X is between 90 and 92.

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1.2 FRQ
1. A new element with atomic number 116 was discovered in 2000. In 2012 it was named
livermorium, Lv. Although Lv is radioactive and short-lived, its chemical properties and
reactivity should follow periodic trends.
a) Write the electron configuration for the valence electrons of Lv in the ground state.
7s2 7p4
b) According to periodic properties, what would be the most likely formula for the
product obtained when Lv reacts with H2(g)?
LvH2 (or H2Lv)
c) The first ionization energy of polonium, Po, is 812 kJ/mol. Is the first ionization
energy of Lv expected to be greater than, less than, or equal to that of Po?
Justify your answer in terms of Coulomb’s law.
Less than that of Po. The two atoms have comparable effective nuclear charges, but
the valence electrons in Lv would be at a greater distance from the nucleus
than those in Po. By Coulomb’s law, the attractive force between the valence
electrons and the nucleus decreases by the inverse square of the distance between
them.
d) Shown below is a hypothetical mass spectrum for a sample of Lv containing 10
atoms.

Using the information in the graph, determine the average atomic mass of Lv in the
sample to four significant figures.

Average atomic mass = 2/10( 291.2 ) + 3/10( 292.2 )+ 5/10 ( 293.2 )=292.5 amu

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1.3 MC Question
1. A 23.0g sample of a compound contains 12.0g of C, 3.0g of H, and 8.0g of O.
Which of the following is the empirical formula of the compound?
A CH3O O
B C H O 2 6
C C3H9O2 D C4H12O2

2. A compound contains 1.10 mol of K, 0.55 mol of Te, and 1.65 mol of O.
What is the simplest formula of this compound?
A KTeO B KTe2O O
C K TeO
2 3
D K2TeO6 E K4TeO6

3. A compound contains 30. percent sulfur and 70. percent fluorine by mass.
The empirical formula of the compound is
A SF B SF2 C SF4 D O SF6 E S2F

4. A compound contains 3.21 g of sulfur and 11.4 g of fluorine.

Which of the following represents the empirical formula of the compound?
A SF2 B SF3 C SF4 D SF5 E O SF 6

5. A sample of a compound that contains only the elements C, H, and N is completely burned
in O2 to produce 44.0 g of CO2, 45.0 g of H2O, and some NO2 .
A possible empirical formula of the compound is
A CH2N O
B CH N 5
C C2H5N D C3H3N2

6. After completing an experiment to determine gravimetrically the percentage of water in

a hydrate, a student reported a value of 38 percent. The correct value for the percentage of
water in the hydrate is 51 percent. Which of the following is the most likely explanation for
this difference?
A Strong initial heating caused some of the hydrate sample to spatter out of the crucible.

O
B The dehydrated sample absorbed moisture after heating.

C The amount of the hydrate sample used was too small.

D The crucible was not heated to constant mass before use.

E Excess heating caused the dehydrated sample to decompose.

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7. Two different ionic compounds each contain only copper and chlorine. Both compounds
are powders, one white and one brown. An elemental analysis is performed on each
powder. Which of the following questions about the compounds is most likely to be
answered by the results of the analysis?
A What is the density of each pure compound?

O

B What is the formula unit of each compound?

C What is the chemical reactivity of each compound?

D Which of the two compounds is more soluble in water?

8. Complete combustion of a sample of a hydrocarbon in excess oxygen produces equimolar

quantities of carbon dioxide and water. Which of the following could be the
molecular formula of the compound?
A C2H2 B C2H6 O
C C H 4 8
D C6H6

9. In which of the following compounds is the mass ratio of chromium to oxygen closest to
1.62 to 1.00?
A CrO3 O
B CrO 2
C CrO D Cr2O E Cr2O3

10. A student has two samples of NaCl , each one from a different source. Assume that the
only potential contaminant in each sample is KCl . The student runs an experiment to
determine the percent by mass of chlorine in each sample. From the results of this
experiment alone, which of the following questions is most likely to be answered?

O
A Which sample has the higher purity?

B Which sample has the higher density?

C What is the source of the contaminants present in each of the samples?

D Which sample came from a salt mine, and which sample came from the ocean?

11. What is the empirical formula of an oxide of chromium that is 48 percent oxygen by mass?
A CrO B CrO2 O
C CrO 3
D Cr2O E Cr2O3

12. What number of moles of O2 is needed to produce 14.2 grams of P4O10 from P?
(Molecular weight P4O10 = 284)
A 0.0500 B 0.0625 C 0.125 O
D 0.250 E 0.500

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13. A student has samples of two pure compounds, XClO3 and ZClO3 , which contain
unknown alkali metals X and Z . The student measures the mass of each sample and then
strongly heats the samples to drive off all the oxygen, leaving solid residues of XCl and ZCl

The student measures the mass of the solid residue from each sample. Which of the
following questions can be answered from the results of the experiment?

O
A Which has the greater molar mass, X or Z ?

B Which has the higher boiling point, X or Z ?

C Which has the higher melting point, XCl or ZCl ?

D Which has the greater density, XCl or ZCl ?

14. M+ is an unknown metal cation with a +1 charge. A student dissolves the chloride of the
unknown metal, MCl, in enough water to make 100.0 mL of solution.

The student then mixes the solution with excessAgNO3solution, causingAgClto precipitate.

The student collects the precipitate by filtration, dries it, and records the data shown below.
(The molar mass of AgCl is 143 g/mol.)

mass of unknown chloride, MCl 0.74 g mass of filter paper 0.80 g

mass of filter paper plus AgCl precipitate 2.23 g

What is the identity of the metal chloride?

A NaCl O
B KCl C CuCl D LiCl

15. To determine the percentage of water in a hydrated salt, a student heated a 1.2346 g sample
of the salt for 30 minutes; when cooled to room temperature, the sample weighed 1.1857 g.

After the sample was heated for an additional 10 minutes and again cooled to room
temperature, the sample weighed 1.1632 g. Which of the following should the student do
next?
A Use the smallest mass value to calculate the percentage of water in the hydrated salt.

B Repeat the experiment with a new sample of the same mass and average the results.

C Repeat the experiment with a new sample that has a different mass.

O
D Reheat the sample until its mass is constant.

E Use the average of the mass values obtained after the two heatings to calculate the
percentage of water in the hydrated salt.
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1.3 FRQ
1. Answer the following questions relating to gravimetric analysis.
In the first of two experiments, a student is assigned the task of determining the number of
moles of water in one mole of MgCl2 .nH2O. The student collects the data shown in the
following table.

a) Explain why the student can correctly conclude that the hydrate was heated a
sufficient number of times in the experiment.
No additional mass was lost during the third heating, indicating that all the water
of hydration had been driven off.

b) Use the data above to

i) calculate the total number of moles of water lost when the sample was heated,

25.825 − 23.976 = 1.849 g 1.848 g H2O ÷ 18.02 g mol-1 = 0.1026 mol H2O

and ii) determine the formula of the hydrated compound.

1 point is earned for calculating the correct number of moles of anhydrous MgCl2.
23.977 − 22.347 = 1.630 g 1.630 g ÷ 95.2 g mol-1 = 0.01712 mol MgCl2

1 point is earned for writing the correct formula (with supporting calculations).
0.1026 mol H2O / 0.01712 mol MgCl2 = 5.993 ≈6 so MgCl2 . 6H2O

c) A different student heats the hydrate in an uncovered crucible, and some of the solid
spatters out of the crucible. This spattering will have what effect on the calculated
mass of the water lost by the hydrate? Justify your answer.

The calculated mass (or moles) of water lost by the hydrate will be too large because
the mass of the solid that was lost will be assumed to be water when it actually
included some MgCl2 as well.

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Q1 contd.
In the second experiment, a student is given 2.94 g of a mixture containing anhydrous
MgCl2 and KNO3 . To determine the percentage by mass of MgCl2 in the mixture,
the student uses excess AgNO3(aq) to precipitate the chloride ion as AgCl(s).
d) Starting with the 2.94 g sample of the mixture dissolved in water, briefly describe
the steps necessary to quantitatively determine the mass of the AgCl precipitate.
2 points are point is earned for all three major steps: filtering the mixture, drying the
precipitate, and determining the mass by difference.
1 point is earned for any two steps.
Add excess AgNO3 .
– Separate the AgCl precipitate (by filtration).
– Wash the precipitate and dry the precipitate completely.
– Determine the mass of AgCl by difference

e) The student determines the mass of the AgCl precipitate to be 5.48 g. On the basis of
this information, calculate each of the following.
i) The number of moles of MgCl2 in the original mixture
1 point is earned for calculating the number of moles of AgCl. precipitate, and
determining the mass by difference.
5.84 g AgCl ÷ 143.32 g mol-1 = 0.0382 mol AgCl

1 point is earned for conversion to moles of MgCl2.

2 mol AgCl → 1 mol MgCl2 0.0382 mol AgCl → 0.0191 mol MgCl2

ii) The percent by mass of MgCl2 in the original mixture

0.0191 mol MgCl2 x 95.20 g mol-1 = 1.82 g MgCl2

(1.82 g MgCl2 / 2.94 g sample) x 100% = 61.9% MgCl2 by mass

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1.4 MC Questions
1. A sample of CaCO3 (molar mass 100. g) was reported as being 30. percent Ca. Assuming
no calcium was present in any impurities, the percent of CaCO3 in the sample is
A 30% B 40% C 70% O
D 75% E 100%

2. A student is given two 10g samples, each a mixture of only NaCl(s) and KCl(s) but in
different proportions. Which of the following pieces of information could be used to
determine which mixture has the higher proportion of KCl(s) ?
A The volume of each mixture B O The mass of Cl in each mixture

C The number of isotopes of Na and K D The reaction of each mixture with water

3.

A sample of carbonate rock is a mixture of CaCO3 and MgCO3 . The rock is analyzed in
a laboratory, and the results are recorded in the table above.

Which columns in the table provide all the information necessary to determine the mole
ratio of Ca to Mg in the rock?
A 1, 2, 5 B 2, 5, 6 O
C 3, 4, 6, 7 D 2, 3, 4, 5

4. A 5.0g sample of MgCl2 may contain measurable amounts of other compounds as

impurities. Which of the following quantities is (are) needed to determine that the sample
is pure MgCl2 ?
A The color and density of the sample B The mass of Mg in the sample only

C The number of moles of Cl in the sample only

O
D The mass of Mg and the mass of Cl in the sample

5. The mass percent of carbon in pure glucose, C6H12O6, is 40.0 percent. A chemist analyzes
an impure sample of glucose and determines that the mass percent of carbon is 38.2 %.
Which of the following impurities could account for the low mass percent of carbon in the
sample?

O
A Water, H2O B Ribose, C5H10O5

C Fructose, C6H12O6, an isomer of glucose D Sucrose, C12H22O11

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6. The percentage of silver in a solid sample is determined gravimetrically by converting the
silver to Ag+(aq) and precipitating it as silver chloride. Failure to do which of the following
could cause errors in the analysis?

I Account for the mass of the weighing paper when determining the mass of the sample

II Measure the temperature during the precipitation reaction

III Wash the precipitate

IV Heat the AgCl precipitate to constant mass

A I only B I and II C I and IV D II and III O

E I, III and IV

7. To gravimetrically analyze the silver content of a piece of jewelry made from an alloy of Ag
and Cu, a student dissolves a small preweighed sample in HNO3(aq).

Ag+(aq) and Cu2+(aq) ions form in the solution. Which of the following should be the next step
in the analytical process?
A Centrifuging the solution to isolate the heavier ions

B Evaporating the solution to recover the dissolved nitrates

C Adding enough base solution to bring the pH up to 7.0

O
D Adding a solution containing an anion that forms an insoluble salt with only one of
the metal ions

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1.4 FRQ - same question was used earlier

1. Answer the following questions related to the analysis of CaBr2.
a) A student has a 10g sample of CaBr2 . Show the setup of the calculation to determine
the number of moles of CaBr2 in the sample. Include units in the setup.
(You do not need to do any calculations.)

mass ÷ molar mass 10 g CaBr2 ÷ 199.88 g mol-1 = number of moles of CaBr2

Note: Molar mass can be written with any number of significant figures.

b) What number, in addition to the answer to part a), is needed to determine the
number of atoms of in the sample?

The response gives the term “Avogadro’s number” or the value of Avogadro’s number,
6.022 x 1023 (with any number of significant figures, units of mol-1 or per mole are
not required).

c) A different student is given a 10g sample labeled CaBr2 that may contain an inert
(nonreacting) impurity. Identify a quantity from the results of laboratory analysis
that the student could use to determine whether the sample was pure.

The response gives an appropriate result (such as one of the following):

Mass of Ca in sample Number of moles of Ca in sample

Mass of Br in sample Number of moles of Br in sample
Mass or number of moles of element other than Ca or Br in sample

d) Explain why CaCl2 is likely to have properties similar to those of CaBr2 .

The response indicates that Cl is in the same group/family/column of the

periodic table as Br

OR that a Cl atom has the same number of valence electrons as a Br atom.

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1.5 MC Questions
Consider atoms of the following elements. Assume that the atoms are in the ground state.
1. The atom that contains only one electron in the highest occupied energy sublevel

A S B Ca C O Ga D Sb E Br

2. The atom that contains exactly two unpaired electrons

O
A S B Ca C Ga D Sb E Br

3. Which of the following ground-state electron configurations represents the atom that has
the lowest first-ionization energy?

A 1s22s1 B 1s22s22p2 C 1s22s22p6 O

D 1s22s22p63s1

4. Which of the following is the ground-state electron configurations of the F— ion ?

A 1s22s22p4 B 1s22s22p5 O
C 1s 2s 2p 2 2 6
D 1s22s22p63s23p6

5. Which of the following best represents the ground-state electron configuration for an atom
of selenium?

A 1s22s22p63s23p3 B 1s22s22p63s23p4

O
C 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d 4p
2 2 6 2 6 2 10 4
D 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d104p5

6. How many protons, neutrons, and electrons are in an 56

26
Fe atom?
Protons Neutrons Electrons

O
A 26 30 26

B 26 56 26

C 30 26 30

D 56 26 26

E 56 82 56

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7. Of the following electron configurations of neutral atoms, which represents an atom in an
excited state?

A 1s22s22p5 O
B 1s 2s 2p 3s
2 2 5 2
C 1s22s22p63s1

D 1s22s22p63s23p2 E 1s22s22p63s23p5

8. The effective nuclear charge experienced by the outermost electron of Na is different than
the effective nuclear charge experienced by the outermost electron of Ne. This difference
best accounts for which of the following?

A Na has a greater density at standard conditions than Ne.

O
B Na has a lower first ionization energy than Ne.

C Na has a higher melting point than Ne.

D Na has a higher neutron-to-proton ratio than Ne.

E Na has fewer naturally occurring isotopes than Ne.

9. Which of the following is the electron configuration of an excited atom that is likely to
emit a quantum of energy?

A 1s22s22p63s23p1 B 1s22s22p63s23p5 C 1s22s22p63s2

D 1s22s22p63s1 O
E 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p
2 2 6 1 1

10. Which of the following represents a pair of iso­topes?

Atom 1 Atom 2
Atomic Number Mass Number Atomic Number Mass Number
A 6 14 7 14

B 6 7 14 14

C 6 14 14 28

O

D 7 13 7 14

E 8 10 16 20

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11. Which of the following represents the ground state electron configuration for the Mn3+
ion? (Atomic number Mn = 25)

O
A 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 3d
2 2 6 2 6 4
B 1s22s22p63s23p63d54s2

C 1s22s22p63s23p63d24s2 D 1s22s22p63s23p63d84s2

E 1s22s22p63s23p63d34s1

12. Which of the following shows the correct number of protons, neutrons, and electrons in a
neutral cesium-134 atom?
Protons Neutrons Electrons
A 55 55 55

O
B 55 79 55

C 55 79 79

D 79 55 79

E 134 55 134

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1.5 FRQ
1. Use the principles of atomic structure and/or chemical bonding to explain each of the
following. In each part, your answers must include references to both substances.
a) The atomic radius of Li is larger than that of Be.
1 point is earned for indicating that Be has more protons than Li
1 point is earned for indicating that since the electrons are at about the same distance from the
nucleus,there is more attraction in Be as a result of the largernumber of protons
Both Li and Be have their outer electrons in the same shell (and/or they have the same number
of innercore electrons shielding the valence electrons from the nucleus). However, Be has four
protons and Li has only three protons. Therefore, the effective nuclear charge experienced
(attraction experienced) bythe valence (outer) electrons is greater in Be than in Li, so Be has a
smaller atomic radius.

b) The second ionization energy of K is greater than the second ionization energy of
Ca.
1 point is earned for saying that electrons are removed from an inner (third) level in potassium but
one level higher, (fourth level) in calcium
1 point is earned for saying that the distance to the nucleus is less for the third level, so attraction is
greater and more energy is needed to remove an electron

The second electron removed from a potassium atom comes from the third level (inner core). The
second electron removed from a calcium atom comes from the fourth level (valence level). The
electrons in the third level are closer to the nucleus so the attraction is much greater than for
electrons in the fourth level.

c) The carbon-to-carbon bond energy in C2H4 is greater than it is in C2H6.

1 point is earned for indicating that C2H4 has a double bond and C2H6 has a single bond
1 point is earned for indicating that the carbon-carbon double bond in C2H4 required more
energy to break (is stronger) than the carbon-carbon bond in C2H6
C2H4 has a double bond between the two carbon atoms, whereas C2H6 has a carbon-carbon single
bond. More energy is required to break a double bond in C2H4 than to break a single bond
in C2H6; therefore, the carbon-to-carbon bond energy in C2H4 is greater.

d) The boiling point of Cl2 is lower than the boiling point of Br2.
1 point is earned for indicating that Cl2 and Br2 are both nonpolar and/or have only London
dispersion forces (or van der waals).
1 point for indicating that the more electrons, the more polarizable, the greater the dispersion
forces, and the higher the boiling point.
Cl2 has less electrons than Br2 and they are closer to the nucleus (3 shells) than Br2 (4 shells) so Cl2
is less polarisable than Br2. Less energy will be required to overcome the London Dispersion forces
between Cl2 molecules those between the Br2 molecules; therefore, the boiling point of Cl2 is lower
than the boiling point of Br2.
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2. Answer the following questions related to sulfur and one of its compounds.
a) Consider the two chemical species S and S2-.
i) Write the electron configuration (e.g., 1s2 2s2 . . .) of each species.
1 point is earned for the correct configuration for S. S: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4
1 point is earned for the correct configuration for S2–. S2−: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6
Note: Replacement of 1s2 2s2 2p6 by [Ne] is acceptable.

ii) Explain why the radius of the S2− ion is larger than the radius of the S atom.
1 point is earned for a correct explanation.
The nuclear charge is the same for both species, but the eight valence electrons in the sulfide ion
experience a greater amount of electron-electron repulsion than do the six valence electrons in the
neutral sulfur atom. This extra repulsion in the sulfide ion increases the average distance between
the valence electrons, so the electron cloud around the sulfide ion has the greater radius.

iii) Which of the two species would be attracted into a magnetic field? Explain.
1 point is earned for the correct answer with a correct explanation.
The sulfur atom would be attracted into a magnetic field. Sulfur has two unpaired p electrons,
which results in a net magnetic moment for the atom. This net magnetic moment would interact
with an external magnetic field, causing a net attraction into the field.
The sulfide ion would not be attracted into a magnetic field because all the electrons in the species
are paired, meaning that their individual magnetic moments would cancel each other.

b) The S2- ion is isoelectronic with the Ar atom. From which species, S2- or Ar, is it
easier to remove an electron? Explain.
1 point is earned for the correct answer with a correct explanation.
It requires less energy to remove an electron from a sulfide ion than from an argon atom.
A valence electron in the sulfide ion is less attracted to the nucleus (charge +16) than is a valence
electron in the argon atom (charge +18).

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1.6 MC Questions
1.

The complete photoelectron spectrum of an element is given above. Which of the following
electron configurations is consistent with the spectrum?

A 1s22s22p1 O
B 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p
2 2 6 2 3

C 1s22s22p63s23p6 D 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d5

2.

The complete photoelectron spectrum for an element is shown above. Which of the
following observations would provide evidence that the spectrum is consistent with the
atomic model of the element?
A A neutral atom of the element contains exactly two electrons.

B The element does not react with other elements to form compounds.

O
C In its compounds, the element tends to form ions with a charge of +1 .

D In its compounds, the element tends to form ions with a charge of +3 .

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3.

The photoelectron spectrum for the element nitrogen is represented above. Which of the
following best explains how the spectrum is consistent with the electron shell model of the
atom?
A The leftmost peak represents the valence electrons.

B The two peaks at the right represent a total of three electrons.

C The electrons in the 1s sublevel have the smallest binding energy.

O
D The electrons in the 2p sublevel have the smallest binding energy.

4. A sample containing atoms

of C and F was analyzed
using x-ray photoelectron
spectroscopy.

The portion of the spectrum

showing the 1s peaks for
atoms of the two elements
is shown opposite.

Which of the following

correctly identifies the 1s
peak for the F atoms and
provides an appropriate
explanation?

A Peak X, because F has a smaller first ionization energy than C has.

O
B Peak X, because F has a greater nuclear charge than C has.

C Peak Y, because F is more electronegative than C is.

D Peak Y, because F has a smaller atomic radius than C has.

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5.
The photoelectron spectra of the 1s electrons
of two isoelectronic species, Ca2+ and Ar, are
shown opposite.

Which of the following correctly identifies the

species associated with peak X and provides a
valid justification?
A Ar, because it has completely filled energy levels

B Ar, because its radius is smaller than the radius of Ca2+

C Ca2+, because its nuclear mass is greater than that of Ar

O
D Ca2+, because its nucleus has two more protons than the nucleus of Ar has

6.
The photoelectron spectra
opposite show the energy
required to remove a 1s
electron from a nitrogen
atom and from an oxygen
atom.

Which of the following

statements best accounts
for the peak in the upper
spectrum being to the right
of the peak in the lower
spectrum?

A Nitrogen atoms have a half-filled p subshell.

B There are more electron-electron repulsions in oxygen atoms than in

nitrogen atoms.

C Electrons in the p subshell of oxygen atoms provide more shielding than

electrons in the p subshell of nitrogen atoms.

O
D Nitrogen atoms have a smaller nuclear charge than oxygen atoms.

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1.6 FRQ
1. The complete photoelectron spectrum of an element in its ground state is represented
below.

a) Based on the spectrum,
i) write the ground-state electron configuration of the element,

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 or [Ar] 4s2

and ii) identify the element.

the element is Ca

b) Calculate the wavelength, in meters, of electromagnetic radiation needed to remove

an electron from the valence shell of an atom of the element.
The response meets both of the following criteria.

The response indicates that the energy required is 0.980 x 10-18 J .

The response shows a calculation similar to the following.

E = h𝒗 = h c/λ so λ = hc / E

λ = (6.6.26 x 10-34 J ) (2.998 x 108 ms-1 ) / 0.980 x 10-18 J

λ = 2.03 x 10-7 m (203 nm)

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2. The photoelectron spectrum for an unknown element is shown below.

a) Based on the photoelectron spectrum, identify the unknown element and write its
electron configuration.

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p3 or [Ne] 3s2 3p3

the element is phosphorus, P

b) Consider the element in the periodic table that is directly to the right of the element
identified in part a). Would the peak of this element appear to the left of, the right
of, or in the same position as the peak of the element in part a)?

Explain your reasoning.

The response indicates that the peak would be to the left of the peak in the spectrum
shown.

The response indicates that the electron is in a lower energy state (and thus has a
larger binding energy) because the nucleus of the element that is directly to the right
in the periodic table would have more protons (16) than the number of protons (15)
in the element corresponding to the given spectrum

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1.7 MC Problems
1. Which of the following best helps to explain why the electron affinity of Br has a greater
magnitude than that of I ?

A Br has a lower electronegativity than I does.

B Br has a lower ionization energy than I does.

C An added electron would go into a new shell in Br but not in I.

O

D There is a greater attraction between an added electron and the nucleus in Br
than in I.

2. Which of the following best helps to explain why the electronegativity of Cl is less than
that of F ?

A The mass of the Cl atom is greater than the mass of the F atom.

B The Cl nucleus contains more protons than the F nucleus contains.

O
C When Cl and F form bonds with other atoms, the Cl bonding electrons are more
shielded from the positive Cl nucleus than the F bonding electrons are shielded
from the positive F nucleus.

D Because Cl is larger than F, the repulsions among electrons in the valence shell of Cl
are less than the repulsions among electrons in the valence shell of F.

3. Which of the following elements has the highest electronegativity?

A Cs B Ag C Pb D O Br E Se

4. Which of the following elements has the largest atomic radius?

O
A Cs B Ag C Pb D Br E Se

5. Which of the following elements has the lowest first-ionisation energy?

O
A Cs B Ag C Pb D Br E Se

6. Which of the following represents an electron configuration that corresponds to the

valence electrons of an element for which there is an especially large jump between the
second and third ionization energies? (Note: n represents a principal quantum number
equal to or greater than 2.)

O
A ns2 B ns2np1 C ns2np2 D ns2np3
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7. Zn(s) is used to reduce other compounds in chemical reactions. If a chemist needs a
substance that is more effective in its reducing ability, which of the following species
would be the best choice?

O
A Na

B H+

C K+

D Cl—

8. The elements in which of the following have most nearly the same atomic radius?

A Be, B, C, N B Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe C Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba

D C, P, Se, I O
E Cr, Mn, Fe, Co

9. The first five ionization energies of a second-period

element are listed in the table opposite.

Which of the following correctly identifies the element

and best explains the data in the table?

A B, because it has five core electrons

OB B, because it has three valence electrons

C N, because it has five valence electrons

D N, because it has three electrons in the p sublevel

10. Based on periodic trends and the data in the

table opposite, which of the following are the
most probable values of the atomic radius and
the first ionization energy for potassium,
respectively?

A 242 pm 633 kJ/mol

OB 242 pm 419 kJ/mol

C 120 pm 633 kJ/mol

D 120 pm 419 kJ/mol

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11. The table opposite shows the first ionization energy and atomic radius of several elements.

Which of the following best helps to explain the

deviation of the first ionization energy of oxygen
from the overall trend?

A The atomic radius of oxygen is greater than

the atomic radius of fluorine.

B The atomic radius of oxygen is less than

the atomic radius of nitrogen.

O
C There is repulsion between paired electrons
in oxygen’s 2p orbitals.

D There is attraction between paired electrons

in oxygen’s 2p orbitals.

12. The ionization energies for element X are listed in the table below.

On the basis of the data, element X is most likely to be

A Na B Mg O
C Al D Si E P

13. Which of the following best helps to account for the fact that the F­— ion is smaller than
the O2- ion?

A F­— has a larger nuclear mass than O2- has.

OB F­— has a larger nuclear charge than O2- has.

C F­— has more electrons than O2- has.

D F­— is more electronegative than O2- is.

E F­— is more polarizable than O2- is.

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14. Which of the following correctly identifies which has the higher first-ionization energy,
Cl or Ar, and supplies the best justification?

A Cl, because of its higher electronegativity

B Cl, because of its higher electron affinity

C Ar, because of its completely filled valence shell

O
D Ar, because of its higher effective nuclear charge

15. Which of the following elements has the largest first ionization energy?

A Li B Be C B D C O
E N

16. Which of the following lists Mg, P, and Cl in order of increasing atomic radius?

O
A Cl < P < Mg B Cl < Mg< P C Mg< P < Cl

D Mg < Cl < P E P < Cl < Mg

17. Which of the following properties generally decreases across the periodic table from
sodium to chlorine?

A First ionization energy B Atomic mass C Electronegativity

D Maximum value of oxidation number OE Atomic radius

18.

For element X represented above, which of the following is the most likely explanation
for the large difference between the second and third ionization energies?

A The effective nuclear charge decreases with successive ionizations.

B The shielding of outer electrons increases with successive ionizations.

O
C The electron removed during the third ionization is, on average, much closer to
the nucleus than the first two electrons removed were.

D The ionic radius increases with successive ionizations

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1.7 Quick Check FRQ

1. A student learns that ionic compounds have
significant covalent character when a cation
has a polarizing effect on a large anion.
As a result, the student hypothesizes that
salts composed of small cations and large
anions should have relatively low melting
points.
a) Select two compounds from the table and explain how the data support the student’s
hypothesis.
1 point is earned for choosing an appropriate pair of compounds (LiI/KI, LiI/LiF, or
LiI/NaF).
1 point is earned for an explanation that supports the hypothesis.
e.g. LiI and KI. LiI has a small cation and a large anion and KI has a large cation
and the same large anion.
The melting point of LiI (with its smaller cation) is lower than that of KI.
b) Identify a compound from the table that can be dissolved in water to produce a basic
solution. Write the net ionic equation for the reaction that occurs to cause the
solution to be basic.
1 point is earned for choosing one of the correct compounds. Either LiF or NaF.
1 point is earned for writing a correct balanced equation. F- + H2O ⇄ HF + OH-

2. Some binary compounds that form between fluorine and various nonmetals are listed in
the table below.

Nonmetal C N O Ne Si P S Ar
Formula of No No
Compound
CF4 NF3 OF2 compound SiF4 PF3 SF2 compound

A student examines the data in the table and poses the following hypothesis:
the number of F atoms that will bond to a nonmetal is always equal to 8 minus the
number of valence electrons in the nonmetal atom.
Based on the student’s hypothesis, what should be the formula of the compound that
forms between chlorine and fluorine?
1 point is earned for the correct formula. ClF
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1.8 MC Questions
1. 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p3 Atoms of an element, X, have the electronic con­figu­ration shown.
The compound most likely formed with magnesium, Mg, is

A MgX B Mg2X C MgX2 D MgX3 O

E Mg X 3 2

2. Atoms of Mg combine with atoms of F to form a compound. Atoms of which of the

following elements combine with atoms of F in the same ratio?

A Li B O Ba C Al D Cl E Ne

3. Which of the following forms monatomic ions with 2- charge in solutions

A F O
B S C Mg D Ar E Mn

4. If Na reacts with chlorine to form NaCl , which of the following elements reacts with Na
to form an ionic compound in a one-to-one ratio, and why?

A K, because it is in the same group as Na.

B Mg, because its mass is similar to that of Na.

C Ar, because its mass is similar to that of Cl.

O
D Br, because it has the same number of valence electrons as Cl.

5.

All the chlorides of the alkaline earth metals have similar empirical formulas, as shown in
the table above. Which of the following best helps to explain this observation?

A Cl2(g) reacts with metal atoms to form strong, covalent double bonds.

B Cl has a much greater electronegativity than any of the alkaline earth metals.

O
C The two valence electrons of alkaline earth metal atoms are relatively easy to
remove

D The radii of atoms of alkaline earth metals increase moving down the group from
Be to Ra.

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6. RbCl has a high boiling point. Which of the following compounds is also likely to have a
high boiling point, and why?

A NO , because its elements are in the same period of the periodic table

B ClF , because its elements are in the same group of the periodic table.

C Cl2O , because its elements have similar electronegativities and it is a covalent

compound.

O
D CsCl , because its elements have very different electronegativities and it is an ionic
compound

7. Which of the following best describes solid ethyl alcohol C2H5OH

A A network solid with covalent bonding

B A molecular solid with zero dipole moment

O
C A molecular solid with hydrogen bonding

D An ionic solid E A metallic solid

8. Based on the information opposite and

periodic trends, which of the following
is the best hypothesis regarding the
oxide(s) formed by Rb?

A Rb will form only Rb2O.

B Rb will form only Rb2O2.

C Rb will form only Rb2O and Rb2O2. O

D Rb will form Rb2O, Rb2O2 and RbO2.

9. Based on the ionization energies of element X

given in the table above, which of the following
is most likely the empirical formula of an oxide
of element X?

A XO2 B X2O

O
C X O 2 3
D X2O5

10. Which of the following ions has the same number of electrons as Br— ?

A Ca2+ B
ISPS Chemistry Mar 2023
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2+
D I— E Cl—
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1.8 FRQ
1. a) What type of chemical bond is present in the Cl2 molecule?
The response indicates that the bond is covalent.

(No explanation is required, however, the bond is covalent because the two atoms
have the same electronegativity and will form a nonpolar covalent bond).

b) Cl2 reacts with the element Sr to form an ionic compound. Based on periodic
properties, identify a molecule, X2 , that is likely to to react with Sr in a way similar
to how Cl2 reacts with Sr. Justify your choice.
The response meets both of the criteria below:

F2 , Br2 , I2 or At2 is written.

the element chosen is in the same group or family as Cl (or Cl2) .

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