Atomic Structure Review

1. An element is a substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical
means.
2. An atomic number tells the number of protons. It can also be used to tell the number or
neutrons and electrons if the element is not an isotope or ion. The mass number tells the weight
of the nucleus and can be used to tell the number of protons and neutrons.
3. An isotope is a form of an element that has a different number of neutrons from its stable
form.
4. Radiocarbon dating is used to determine the age of an organic object relative to the proportion
of cabon-12 to carbon-14. All organic matter contains carbon and as more half-lives pass, the
ratio changes. Measuring the amount and using the half-life of carbon-14 tells how old the
matter is. Cobalt radiotherapy uses gamma rays from cobalt-60 isotopes to treat medical
conditions, usually cancer. Iodine therapy is used to diagnose and treat thyroid concerns.
Iodine-131 is used because it has little effect on the rest of the body.
5. Relative atomic mass is the weighted average of a substance in all naturally occurring isotopes
relative to the C-12 atom.
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7. Vaporization, electron bombardment, acceleration, deflection, detection.
8. During vaporization the sample is turned into a gas using an electrical heater. During ionization
the gas particles are bombarded with high-energy electrons to ionize them. Electrons are
knocked off the particles leaving positive ions. During acceleration the positive ions are
accelerated by an electric field. During deflection the positive ions paths are altered with a
magnetic field. Lighter ions have less momentum and are deflected more than heavier ions. For
a given field, only ions with a particular mass/charge ratio will make it to the detector. During
detection the magnetic field strength is slowly increased. This changes the mass charge ration of
ions that can reach the detector. A mass spectrum is produced.
9. We know that the lighter ions will deflect more than the heavier ions, so we can use this, with
the fact that that mass alters the mass/charge ratio to predict how far it will deflect relative to
the other ion masses.
10.
a.
b.
c.
d.
11. The principal quantum number is the first set of quantum numbers in an atomic orbital,
symbolized by n. The higher the number the larger the orbital and the higher potential energy.
12. The Bohr model explained the emission spectrum of a hydrogen model. It was based on a few
assumptions. The electron in a hydrogen atom travels around the nucleus in a circular orbit. The
energy of the electron in an orbit is proportional to its distance from the nucleus. The further
the electron is from the nucleus, the more energy it has. Only a limited number of orbits with
certain energies are allowed. In other words, the orbits are quantized. The only orbits that are
allowed are those for which the angular momentum of the electron is an integral multiple of
Planck's constant divided by 2p. Light is absorbed when an electron jumps to a higher energy
orbit and emitted when an electron falls into a lower energy orbit. The energy of the light
emitted or absorbed is exactly equal to the difference between the energies of the orbits.
13. The Lyman series can be found in ultra violet light. The Balmer series is found is visible light. The
Paschen series and Brackett series are found in infrared light.
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16.
a. Aufbaus principle states that electrons are filled in from lowest to highest energy. It
helps to determine electron configuration because you know to start at the lowest sub-
shells before filling in the next orbitals.
b. Hunds rule states that every orbital in a subshell is singly occupied with one electron
before any orbital is doubly occupied. This helps to write out electron configurations
because you have to fill in all at least once before the other shells are completely filled.
c. Paulis exclusion principle states the maximum number of electrons in an orbital is two
and they much have opposite spins. This tells you that the electrons should be drawn as
arrows going in opposite directions (vertically).