Chapter 3: Atomic Structure

Overview
Chapter 3 examines the experimental evidence leading to modern atomic theory. The chapter opens
with the earliest experiments that indicated the electrical nature of matter and concludes with modern
quantum theory.

Lecture Outline

3.1 Electricity and the Atom

Humphry Davy’s experiments with the voltaic pile led to the electrolysis of
molten salts. Michael Faraday refined Davy’s procedures and became the father
of electrochemistry. Cathode ray tube experiments conducted by J. J.
Thomson allowed him to calculate the mass-to-charge ratio of the
electron. Conducting similar experiments, Eugen Goldstein discovered the
proton. Millikan’s oil-drop experiment enabled him to calculate the charge of
the electron, and thus its mass.
3.2 Serendipity in Science: X-Rays and Radioactivity
Roentgen, in 1895, stumbled upon X-rays while conducting cathode ray
experiments.
3.3 Three Types of Radioactivity
The alpha particle (α) is a helium nucleus.
The beta particle (β) is an electron.
The gamma ray (γ) is a high-energy photon.
3.4 Rutherford’s Experiment: The Nuclear Model of the Atom
The gold foil experiment was strong and convincing evidence that led to the
theory of the nuclear atom.
3.5 The Atomic Nucleus
The nucleus contains protons (+1 charge), neutrons (neutral), and nearly all
the mass of the atom. Electrons are outside the nucleus, have a -1 charge, and
only a fraction of the mass of the proton and neutron. It is the number of
protons that defines an element! Isotopes are atoms of the same element having different
numbers of neutrons, and thus varying in mass.
3.6 Electron Arrangement: The Bohr Model
Spectroscopic evidence led Niels Bohr to conclude that only certain energy levels, or
orbits, were allowed for electrons.
3.7 Electron Arrangement: The Quantum Model
Louis de Broglie showed that the electron had wave properties. Erwin Schrodinger used the de
Broglie wave theory and the Bohr quantum theory to derive the quantum-mechanical theory of
the atom. The quantum mechanical theory describes the positioning of electrons about the
nucleus and electron energies.

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Chapter 3: Atomic Structure

3.8 Electron Configurations and the Periodic Table

Figure 3.17 is an excellent tool for teaching students electronic configurations
using the shorthand spectroscopic notation based on element locations in the periodic table.

Demonstrations

1. Demonstrate the use of a cathode ray tube, using a magnet to deflect the
beam of electrons.

2. Models that can be used to demonstrate the Rutherford gold foil experiment
are described in Tested Demonstrations, Vol. II, by George Gilbert et al., on
pages L-2,3,4.

3. An overhead projector version of the Rutherford experiment is described by

Hau in J. Chem. Educ. 1982, p. 973.

Review Questions

1. (a) William Crookes: developed the cathode ray tube

(b) Eugen Goldstein: discovered the proton
(c) Michael Faraday: developed electrolysis.
(d) J. J. Thomson: discovered the electron; calculated the mass-to-charge ratio of the electron
(e) Ernest Rutherford: from the results of the “Gold Foil Experiment” proposed the nuclear theory
of the atom
(f) James Chadwick: discovered the neutron

2. Radioactivity is spontaneous radiation from an atomic nucleus. Dalton’s atomic theory stated that
atoms were indestructible.

3. Both X-rays and gamma rays are forms of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. A gamma ray is
more energetic than an X-ray.

4. Goldstein’s cathode ray tube had a perforated cathode that revealed positive particles streaming in
the opposite direction as the electrons.

5. Rutherford’s nuclear model proposed a small, dense nucleus containing protons and neutrons. The
electrons were proposed to be surrounding the small dense nucleus.

6. (a) Deuterium is a hydrogen atom with a neutron in the nucleus.

(b) Tritium is a hydrogen atom with two neutrons in the nucleus.
(c) A photon is a quantum of electromagnetic radiation.

7. A & B; A & C; C & D are all (different number of protons)

B & C and A & D are yes (different number of neutrons)

8. A and B

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 Chapter 3: Atomic Structure

9. Dalton looked on atoms as simple spheres and never attempted to define their inner structure. The
nuclear model of the atom is a detailed model that is used to explain many atomic properties.

10. Os, osmium, 190.23

11. Ru, ruthenium, 101.07

12. a discrete unit of energy

13. Given identical atoms, an electron moving from the first shell to the third shell absorbs more
energy than an electron moving from the second shell to the third shell.

14. Bohr added the concept of concentric electron energy levels. Schrodinger developed the quantum-
mechanical model of the atom.

15. the quantum-mechanical model

16. (a) 4 (b) 11 (c) 16 (d) 34 (e) 29 (f) 92

17. (a) 4 (b) 11 (c) 16 (d) 34 (e) 29 (f) 92

Problems

18. electrons

19. alpha(mass = 4, charge = 2+), beta(mass = 1/1837, charge = 1–), gamma(mass = 0, charge = 0)

20. a. an ion

21. d. spontanesously give off particles or rays

22. 9 e-
37 55
23. (a) 17 Cl, chlorine - 37; (b) 25 Mn, manganese - 55

24.
Element Mass Number Protons Neutrons
Nickel 60 28 32
Palladium 108 46 62
Nitrogen 14 7 7
Iodine 127 53 74

25. four elements

26. three isotopes of element with Z = 47

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Chapter 3: Atomic Structure

27. 28

28. 9

29. 2+

30. the d subshell

31. (a) 8 (b) 14 (c) 28

32. (a) 9 (b) 19 (c) 30

33. (a) The electron configuration shown is an excited state; the correct ground-state
configuration is 1s2.
(b) Incorrect, it is not possible to have 7 electrons on a p orbital.
(c) The electron configuration shown is an excited state, the correct ground state
configuration is 1s22s2.
(d) The electron configuration shown is a ground state.

34. (a) The electron configuration shown is an excited state, the correct ground-state
configuration is 1s22s22p2.
(b) The electron configuration shown is an excited state, the correct ground state configuration
is 1s22s22p3.
(c) Incorrect, there is no such orbital as a 2d.
(d) Incorrect, the 2s orbital can hold a maximum of 2 electrons.

35. neon

36. (a) neon (b) argon (c) neon

37. Si has 2 3p electrons; Ge has 2 4p electrons; germanium is a larger atom.

38. F and Cl have 5 electrons in the outermost p subshell; F has 5 electrons in the 2p; Cl has 5
electrons in the 3p. Br and I are both expected to have 5 electrons in the outermost p subshell.

39. (a) metal (b) metal (c) metal (d) nonmetal

40. Cs and K

41. Ne and Kr

42. Fe and Mo

43. 4; Ne, P, Kr, N

44. Ra is radioactive; yes

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 Chapter 3: Atomic Structure

45. (a) 15 (b) phosphorus (c) 15 (d) 6 (e) 0

46. The atomic number and the number of protons and electrons are the same for a neutral atom. The
number of protons and neutrons added yield the mass number.

47.

b
d c a

48. Na emitting at 5890 and 5900 and Ba emitting at 5520 and 5540; Ba

49. Fe 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d6
Sn 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d10 4p65s24d105p2
Pb 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d 4p 5s 4d105p66s24f145d106p2
2 2 6 2 6 2 10 6 2

50. Mg and Al

51. Sr and Y

52. Ca and Sr

53. b

54. c

55. d

56. The experiment indicated that the O2 came from water not CO2, refuting the original hypothesis.

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