CC.

5111 Extra Problems for Exam I

Included are some extra problems that you can work in preparation for Exam1. Be sure that
you have already studied the material before you attempt these problems. Approach each
problem as an exam problem. Many of these problems are from previous 5.111 exams. If you
usually panic when you first read an exam problem, then remember to panic when you first
read a problem and then practice how to calm yourself down. Remember that rephrasing the
problem in your own words or drawing a sketch of the problem often helps crystallize the
physical concept behind the problem. Once you understand the physical principle behind the
problem, the equations necessary to work the problem will come to you easily. Remember,
there are a limited number of physical principles being tested here. Dont rely on a fixed,
memorized procedure or memorized equation to solve a problem. You cant always make a
problem fit into the procedure or equation that you have memorized. You have to modify the
procedure or the equation to fit the problem. Dont modify the problem to fit the equations!
1. Photons of wavelength 315 nm or less are needed to eject electrons from a surface of
electrically neutral cadmium. What is the energy barrier that electrons must overcome to
leave an uncharged piece of cadmium?
2. Calculate the energy (in J) of a photon whose period is 5 x 10-15 s.
3. (a) Calculate the momentum of a photon whose wavelength is that of a He-Ne laser, 6.330 x
10-7 m. (b) Calculate the momentum of an electron at 100. eV.
4. A free electron moves with a velocity v = 1.00 x 106 m/s before being captured by a
hydrogen nucleus. Eventually, it lands in the 1s orbital. What is the change in its energy?
5. Compute the difference in energy between the fourth and fifth shells of a H-atom. Is the
comparable spacing more or less in a He+ ion?
6. The ionization energy of a certain one-electron atom in the ground state is 3.28 x 104
kJ/mol. How many protons are contained in the nucleus?
7. At r=0, the PROBABILITY DENSITY of a H atom wavefunction has a non-zero value. In
addition, the probability density associated with this wavefunction is zero for at least one
non-zero value of r. Of the possible wavefunctions from n = 1 through n = 4 and from = 0
through = 1, name all of the wavefunctions that are consistent with these probability
densities. The name of the wavefunction should consist of the principal quantum number,
a letter such as s, p, d, f, and, if appropriate, a letter such as x, y or z.
8. An atom of sodium has the electron configuration [Ne]6s1. Explain how this is possible.
9. The most probable value of r for the 3p state is smaller than that for the 3s state. Why is the
energy of the 3s state lower than that of the 3p state in a multi-electron atom?

10. The photoelectron spectrum of Mg is measured using X-ray photons of energy 600.0 x 10-18
J. Electrons are emitted from the Mg atoms with the following kinetic energies (in units of
10-18 J): 598.8, 591.4, 585.3, 391.0.
(a) Write the ionization processes responsible for each of these kinetic energies.
(b) Calculate the binding energies for the filled orbitals of Mg
(c) Al+ is isoelectronic with Mg. Do you expect the binding energies in Al+ to be weaker
or stronger than in Mg? Explain.
11. Consider two photoelectric effect experiments on Cs metal. One experiment uses a 1.00
102 W green lamp with a wavelength of 530.6 nm and the other uses a 5.00 102 W blue
lamp with a wavelength of 460.5 nm. (1W = 1 J/s). (a) Calculate the work function of Cs if
the 1.00 102 W green lamp with a wavelength of 530.6 nm produces electrons with an
energy of 7.01 10-20 J. (b) Calculate how many photons per s are being emitted by the
5.00 102 W blue lamp with a wavelength of 460.5 nm. (c) If the Cs metal is exposed to the
1.00 102 W green lamp with a wavelength of 530.6 nm for 1.0 min, calculate how long
must the Cs metal be exposed to the 5.00 102 W blue lamp with a wavelength of 460.5 nm
to eject the same number of electrons.
12. Draw the radial probability distribution for the electron in a 4p orbital. The relative
magnitudes of the extrema and nodes must be correct, if there are multiple extrema and
nodes. Label your axes. Indicate the origin on both the y and x axes.
13. (a) Write the ground state electron configuration of Cd+. You can use the inert gas
configuration as a means to abbreviate the configuration.
(b) Consider the ni = 2 to nf = 3 transition in C+5 and in O+7. Does this transition in O+7
require a photon with the same momentum, a smaller momentum or a larger momentum
as the transition in C+5?
14. Which of the following has the largest atomic radius: S2-, Cl, Cl-, K+, or S? Explain very
briefly.
******************************************************************************
After you have studied and worked on the above extra problems, you should be able to complete the
practice exam in 50-minutes.
You should try to complete the practice exam without the aid of notes or the text. You should use the
periodic table without electron configurations and the equations and constants provided at the end of this
handout.

Periodic Table and Exam 1 Equations

c = 2.9979 x 108 m/s
h = 6.6261 x 10-34 J s
NA = 6.022 x 1023 mol-1
me = 9.1094 x 10-31 kg
ao = 5.292 x 10-11 m
1 amu = 1.66 x 10-27 kg

h
p

RH = 2.1799 x 10-18 J
= RH/h = 3.2898 x 1015 Hz

Z2R H
En = 2
n
Z 2R
E nl = eff 2 H
n
1W = 1 J s-1
1 J = 1 kgm2s-2
1 eV = 1.6022 x 10-19 J
for s wavefunction:
RPD = 4r22dr
for nf < ni
Z2R H ! 1 1 $
v=
h #" n 2f n 2i &%
for nf > ni..
Z2R H ! 1 1 $
v=
h #" n 2i n 2f &%