St.

Mary High School

CAPE Chemistry Unit 1
Atomic Structure
Tutorial 1
1.
(a) State the difference between the terms natural radioactivity and artificial
radioactivity.
(b) State the principal factor used to determine the stability of a nucleus.
(c) List, with specific example, TWO uses of radioisotopes.
2. Define the following terms: mass number, isotope, relative atomic mass and isotopic
mass.
3. In your own words, explain Thomsons and Rutherfords contribution to the atomic
theory. Give sketches to substantiate your answer.
4. How do different electronic transitions in the hydrogen atom produce lines of different
energies?
5. Explain how Bohr contributed in defining the structure of the atom. State the successes
and failures of this model.
6. The average atomic mass of Boron is 10.811 amu. Calculate the percentage occurrence of
each isotope given one has a mass of 10.0219 and the other 11.0093 amu.
7. The three predominant isotopes of sulphur (S) are given in the table below:
Isotope

Mass/amu

% Abundance

32

31.972

94.93

33

32.972

0.7620

34

4.293

S
S
S

Determine the value of X (to 4 sig. fig.), given that the atomic mass of S is 32.066 amu.

8. Calculate the wavelength or frequency ( as appropriate) of the following:

a. = 550 nm
b. = 8990 ( is the Armstrong unit 1 = 1.0 10-10 m)
c. = 5.5 x 1015 s-1
d. = 2.3 x 108 Hz
9. Excited lithium ions emit radiation at a wavelength of 6700 . Calculate the frequency
and energy of a photon of this radiation.
10. Write down the Balmer-Rydberg equation and define each term in the expression.
a. Calculate the wavelength in metres (m) of the spectral line of hydrogen that
would result when an electron drops from the fourth orbit to the second.
11. An electron falls to the n= 1 energy level (i.e. nf = 2) during a transition. The wavelength
of the line emitted was 750 nm. Calculate the energy level the electron fell from (i.e. ni)
to the nearest whole number. Calculate the energy of this line.
12. Based on quantum mechanics, the wave function of an atomic orbital has three main
quantum numbers.
a. What is the name and symbol of each of these quantum numbers?
b. Briefly explain which property of the atom each quantum number governs.
c. What are the permitted values for each quantum number?
13. Give the allowable combinations of quantum numbers for each of the following
electrons:
a. 4s
(b) 3p
(c) 5f
(d) 5d

14. Which of the following represent impossible combinations of n and l?

(a)
5d
(b) 4d
(c) 3f
(d) 2p
15. Which is the correct order of orbital filling according to the Aufbau Principle?
(a)
4s 4p 4d 4f
(b) 4p 4d 5s 4f (c) 4s 3d 4p 5s (d) 4d 4f 5s 5p
16. Give the expected ground state electron configuration for the following elements; use the
abbreviation of the proceeding noble gas to represent inner-shell electrons.
Rb
(b) Mn
(c) Ge
(d) Tc
Draw the orbital-filling diagram for them as well.
17. Write electron configurations for the following:
(a) Mn in MnO2 (b) Fe in FeSO4
(c) Cu in CuCl2 (d) Co in [CoCl4]2- (e) S in
Na2S
18. Each element has a characteristic fingerprint line emission spectrum. Neils Bohr, in
1913, proposed an explanation for the emission spectrum of the elements.
a. State the property of elements which is responsible for the characteristic line
spectrum of each element.
b. Sketch a diagram of the line emission spectrum of hydrogen. On your diagram,
indicate the direction of INCREASING frequency and INCREASING
wavelength.
c. Explain, in terms of electronic transitions, the origin of the lines in the Balmer
series.
d. State the region of the electromagnetic spectrum in which the lines in the Balmer
series occur.
e. Calculate the energy(E) of a quantum of radiation with a corresponding frequency
() of 4.57 x 1014 Hz. (h = 4 x 10-13 kJ s mol-1)
19. In 1803, John Dalton came up with a series of postulates concerning the atom which later
became known as Daltons atomic theory.
a. List FOUR postulates of Daltons atomic theory.
b. Identify TWO of Daltons postulates which were proven invalid by modern
atomic theory.
20. Copy and complete Table 2, which provides information on the properties of the simple
subatomic particles.
(a)
TABLE 2: PROPERTIES OF SIMPLE SUBATOMIC PARTICLES
Particle
Relative Mass
Relative Charge
Location
Electron
Proton
(iii) _________

1/1840
(ii)_________
1

-1
+1
(iv)_________

(i) __________
Nucleus
Nucleus

(b) Radioactive emissions are affected by an electric field. Name the type of radioactive
particle that behaves in the same way as the electron.
216
(c) 84 Po decays by emitting particles. State the product formed from the decay of
216
84

Po

by the emission of three particles and calculate the n/p ratio of BOTH the

reactant and product atoms.

(d)Comment on the effect that the decay has on the stability of the nucleus of

216
84

Po .

(e) Draw the structures of the atomic orbitals of principal quantum number 2. Include x,
y and z axes in the drawing.
(f) Using s, p, d notation, write the electronic configuration of 24Cr.