Structure of Atom

SYNOPSIS:
→ Three fundamental particles of an atom are electron, proton and neutron,

−
Name of Unit Electron(e ) Proton(p + ) Neutron(n)
constant
Amu 0.0005486 1.00728 1.00899
Mass(m) Kg 9.109  10 −31 1.673  10 −27 1.675  10 −24
Relative 1/1837 1 1
Coulomb(c) -1.602  10 −19 +1.602  10 −19 Zero
Specific C/g 1.76  108 9.58  10 4 Zero
charge(e/m)
The atomic mass unit (amu) is1/12 of the mass of an individual atom of 6 C12 , i.e.1.66  10 −27 kg

Atomic Models
1) According to Thomson’s plum pudding model of atom, positive charge is spread over a sphere of
radius ≈ 10–8 cm and electrons are embedded in it. Thomson’s model could explain the electrical
neutrality of atom but not the other observations like spectra and a-scattering experiment.
2) Rutherford’s model was based upon the results of scattering experiments. According to Rutherford’s
model, the nucleus of atom is hard dense core and consists of protons while electrons revolve around
the nucleus.

Atomic Similarities Differences Examples

species
(i)Atomic No.(Z) (i) Mass No. (A) (i) 11 H, 21 H, 31 H
(ii) No. of protons (ii) No. of neutrons (ii) 16
8 O,178 O,188 O
(iii) No. of electrons (iii) Physical properties (iii) 35
17 CI, 37
17 CI

Isotopes (iv) Electronic

Configuration
(v) Chemical properties
(vi) Position in the
Periodic table
(i) Mass No. (A) (i)Atomic No. (Z) (i) 40 40 40
18 Ar , 19 K , 20 Ca

(ii)No. of nucleons (ii) No. of protons, Electrons and (ii) 13052Te,130 130
54 Xe , 56 Ba
neutrons
Isobars (iii)Electronic Configuration
(iv) Chemical properties
(v) Position in the periodic table.

(i)Atomic No. (i) 30

14
31
Si,15 P, 32
10 S

(ii) Mass No, protons and electrons (ii) 39 40

19 K , 20 Ca

Isotones No. of neutrons (iii)Electronic configuration (iii) 31 H, 42 He

(iv) Position in the periodic table. (iv) 136 C,147 N
Atomic Spectra of Hydrogen
Radiations emitted by hydrogen in discharge tube experiments when passed through prism gives five
series of lines named after the researchers.
To calculate the wavelength of various H-lines Rydberg’s introduced the following expression,
1  1 1
 = = =R 2 − 2 
 c  n1 n2 

Where, R is = Rydberg’s constant = 1.09677 x 107 m-1 = 109677 cm – 1

S. Spectral series Lies in the Transition Maximum Minimum

No region (n2 > n1)
wavelength wavelength
n1 = 1 n1 = 1 and n1 = 1 and
(1) Lyman series Ultra violet n2 = 2 n2 = 
region n2= 2, 3, 4….  4 1
λmax = R min =
3 R

Balmer series n1 = 2 n1 = 2 and n1= 2 and

(2) Visible region n2 = 3 n 2= 
n2= 3, 4, 5….  36 4
max = min =
5R R
n1 = 3 n1 = 3 and n1 = 3 and
(3) Paschen series Infra red n2 = 4 n2 = 
region n2= 4, 5, 6…. 144 9
max = min =
7R R
n1 = 4 n1 = 4 and n1 = 4 and
(4) Brackett series Infra red n2 = 5 n2 = 
region n2 = 5, 6, 7….  16  25 16
max = min =
9R R
n1 = 5 n1 = 5 and n1 = 5 and
(5) Pfund series Infra red n2 = 6 n2 = 
region n2= 6, 7, 8….  25  36 25
max = min =
11R R

Quantum numbers: The set of four numbers which gives complete information about an elctron present
in an atom.
Quantum numbers Values Significance
1. Principal quantum Any integer value i.e. 1, 2, — Main shell of the electron.
number (n) 3, 4 etc. — Approximate distance from the
nucleus.
— Energy of shell.
— Maximum number of electrons present
in the shell (2n2).
— Explains the main lines of spectrum.
 2. Azimuthal quantum For a particular value of n,
number (l) l = 0 to n – 1
l = 0, s-subshell
l = 1, p-subshell
l = 2, d-subshell
l = 3, f-subshell
3. Magnetic quantum For a particular value of l,
number (ml) m = –l to +l including zero
4. Spin quantum number Ms = + 1 , − 1
(ms) 2 2
—No. of subshells p resent in the main
shell.
— Relative energies of the subshells.
— Shapes of orbitals.
— Explains the fine structure of the line
spectrum.
— No. of orbitals present in any subshell.
— Explains the splitting of lines in a
magnetic field.
— Direction of electron spin (clockwise or
anticlockwise).
— Explains the magnetic properties of
substances.

Designation of Number of
N L M orbitals Orbitals in the
subshell
1 0 0 1s 1
2 0 0 2s 1
2 1 –1, 0, +1 2p 3
3 0 0 3s 1
3 1 –1, 0, +1 3p 3
3 2 –2, –1, 0, +1, +2 3d 5
4 0 0 4s 1
4 1 –1, 0, +1 4p 3
4 2 –2, –1, 0, +1, +2 4d 5
–3, –2, –1, 0, +1,
4 3 4f 7
+2, +3

TIPS FOR NUMERICALS:

1. Mass no = atomic no + no. Of neutrons
ν
2. Velocity of light, c = ν λ and ν =
c
hc
3. E = hν = , where, h = Planck's constant = 6.626×10-34 J s
λ
1  1 1
4. Rydberg’s formula,  = = = RH  Z2  2 − 2  Where, Z = atomic number
 c  n1 n2 
R is = Rydberg’s constant = 1.09677 x 107 m-1 = 109677 cm – 1
h
5. Angular momentum of the electron in an orbit, mvr = n
2
h
6. Angular momentum of the electron in an orbital, mvr = l (l+1)
2
2
n o
7. Radius of nthorbit in which electron moves is rn =  0.529 A
Z
8. Energy of an electron in any shell for hydrogen like species,
Z2 −13.6  Z2 −1312 2
E = -21.8  10 −19  2 J/ atom = 2
eV / atom or Z kJmol−1
n n n2
(1eV = 1.6 x 10-19 J )
9. Kinetic energy of photoelectrons = h( −  0 ) where  0 = threshold frequency
h h
10. de-Broglie equation,  = = where, p= momentum
mv p
h
11. Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle. x.p  Where  x = uncertainty is position of the particle,
4
 p = uncertainty in the momentum of the particle
Now since  p = m  v
h h
 x. m  V  or x  v 
4 4 m
c
12. According to Planck’s quantum theory, E = nh  = nh , n = no. Of photons

13. Change in energy when an electron jumps from final level to initial level,
1 1
E = RH[ 2 − 2 ] where RH = -2.18 x 10-18 J = 13.6 eV
ni nf

:PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS:

1. Among the elements from atomic number 1 to 36, the number of elements which have an
unpaired electron in their s-subshell is (KCET 2014)
a) 4 b) 7 c) 6 d) 9

2. The statement that is not correct is (KCET 2014)

a) angular quantum number signifies the shape of the orbital
b) energies of stationary states in hydrogen like atoms is inversely proportional to the square of
the principal quantum number
c) total number of nodes for 3s orbital is three
d) the radius of the first orbit of He+ is half that of the first orbit of hydrogen atom.
3. The two electrons have the following sets of quantum numbers:
𝟏 𝟏
P = 3, 2, -2, + 𝟐 ; Q = 3, 0, 0, + 𝟐
Which of the following statements is true? (KCET 2015)
a) P has greater energy than Q.
b) P and Q represent same electron.
c) P and Q have same energy.
d) P has lesser energy than Q.

4. The energy of electron in the nth Bohr orbit of H-atom is (KCET 2016)
−13.6 −13.6 −13.6 −13.6
a) 2
ev b) ev c) ev d) ev
n n n4 n3

5. Consider the following sets of quantum numbers, which of the below setting is not
permissible arrangement of electrons in an atom? (KCET 2016)
n l m s
𝟏
a) 4 0 0 -𝟐
𝟏
b) 5 3 0 +𝟐
𝟏
c) 3 2 -2 -𝟐
𝟏
d) 3 2 -3 +𝟐

6. The correct set of quantum numbers for the unpaired electron of chlorine atom is
𝟏 𝟏
a) 2, 0, 0, + 𝟐 b) 3, 0, 0, ± 𝟐
𝟏 𝟏
c) 2, 1, -1, + 𝟐 d) 3, 1, 1, ± 𝟐 (KCET 2017)
7. Two particles A and B are in motion. If the wavelength associated with 'A' is 33.33 nm, the
wavelength associated with 'B' whose momentum is 𝟏/𝟑𝒓𝒅 of 'A' is (KCET 2019)
−𝟖 −𝟖 −𝟕
a) 𝟏. 𝟎 × 𝟏𝟎 𝒎 b) 𝟐. 𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎 𝒎 c) 𝟏. 𝟐𝟓 × 𝟏𝟎 𝒎 d) 𝟏. 𝟎 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟕 𝒎

8. With regard to photoelectric effect, identify the correct statement among the following.
a) Number of 𝒆− ejected increases with the increase in the frequency of incident light.
b) Number of 𝒆− ejected increases with the increase in work function.
c) Number of 𝒆− ejected increases with the increase in the intensity of incident light.
d) Energy of 𝒆− ejected increases with the increase in the intensity of incident light.
(KCET 2020)

9. The number of angular and radial nodes in 3p orbital respectively are (KCET 2021)
a) 3, 1 b) 1, 1 c) 2, 1 d) 2, 3

10. If wavelength of photon is 2.2  10–11 m and h = 6.6  10–34 Js, then momentum of photon
(KCET 2022)
-44
a) 1.452 x 10 kg ms -1 -43
b) 6.89 x 10 kg ms -1

c) 3 x 10-23 kg ms-1 d) 3.33 x 10-22 kg ms-1

***