TOPIC 2

ATOMIC STRUCTURE

12.1
ELECTRONS IN ATOMS
By: Merinda Sautel
Alameda Int’l Jr/Sr High School
Lakewood, CO
msautel@jeffco.k12.co.us
 ESSENTIAL IDEA
The quantized nature of energy transitions
is related to the energy states of electrons
in atoms and molecules.
NATURE OF SCIENCE (1.8)
Experimental evidence to support theories –
emission spectra provide evidence for the
existence of energy levels.
INTERNATIONAL-MINDEDNESS
In 2012 two separate international teams
working at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN
independently announced that they had
discovered a particle with behavior consistent
with the previously predicted “Higgs boson”.
 THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE
“What we observe is not nature itself, but nature
exposed to our method of questioning.” – Werner
Heisenberg. An electron can behave as a wave or
a particle depending on the experimental
conditions. Can sense perception give us objective
knowledge about the world?

The de Broglie equation shows that macroscopic

particles have too short a wavelength for their
wave properties to be observed. Is it meaningful
to talk of properties which can never be observed
from sense perception?
UNDERSTANDING/KEY IDEA
12.1.A
In an emission spectrum, the
limit of convergence at higher
frequency corresponds to the
first ionization energy.
Energy levels in the hydrogen atom converge at
higher energy.
At the convergence limit, the lines merge to
form a continuum.
Beyond this point, the electron is free from any
influence of the nucleus.
We can calculate the ionization energy from the
convergence limit.
The transition from n=1 to n=∞ corresponds to
ionization which is the removal of the electron
from the 1s orbital.
 APPLICATION/SKILLS
Be able to solve problems using
E=hv = hc/λ.
Where H = Planck’s constant
(6.63 x 10-34 Js)
v = frequency of light (Hz or 1/s)
c = speed of light (3.00 x 108 m/s)
λ = wavelength (m) (1x109nm = 1m)
(You may have to convert from nanometers.)
The energy of a photon is related to the
frequency of the electromagnetic
radiation.
This equation can be used to work out
the differences in energy between
various levels in the hydrogen atom.
 GUIDANCE

The value of Planck’s constant

(h) and E=hv are given in the
data booklet in sections 1 and 2.
The value of the first ionization energy
for hydrogen is given in section 8 of the
Data booklet.
Example problem 1
Determine the energy in joules of a photon
of red light, correct to 4 significant figures,
given that the wavelength is 650.0 nm.
h=6.626x10-34 Js; c=2.998 x108 m/s
E=hv = hc/λ convert nm to m
E=(6.626x10-34 Js)(2.998 x108 m/s
6.500x10-7m
E=3.056x10-19 J
 APPLICATION/SKILLS

Be able to calculate the value of

the first ionization energy from
spectral data which gives the
wavelength or frequency of the
convergence limit.
Example problem 2
Calculate the first ionization energy in kJ/mol for hydrogen
given that its shortest wavelength line in the Lyman series
is 91.16 nm. NA = 6.022x1023 mol-1 h=6.626x10-34 Js;
c=2.998 x108 m/s
E=hv = hc/λ convert nm to m
E=(6.626x10-34 Js)(2.998 x108 m/s)
9.116x10-8m
E=2.179x10-18 J This represents the energy for one atom of
hydrogen. Multiply by Avogadro’s # to get energy per mole of
hydrogen atoms.
IE1 = (2.179x10-18J) x (6.022x1023 mol-1)
=1.312x106 J/mol = 1312 kJ/mol
Example problem 3
The frequency of a line in the visible spectrum of hydrogen is
4.57 x 1014 Hz. Calculate the energy of the photon emitted.
h=6.626x10-34 Js
E=hv
E=(6.626x10-34 Js)(4.57x1014 1/s)
= 3.03 x 10-19 J

This line in the spectrum represents an electron falling from

level 3 to level 2 so the above answer represents the energy
difference between the 2 levels.
Example problem 4
The energy of a photon is 1.53 x 10-18 J. Calculate the
frequency of the electromagnetic spectrum.
h=6.63x10-34 Js
E=hv so v = E/h
v = 1.53x10-18J/6.63x10-34Js = 2.31x1015 s-1
UNDERSTANDING/KEY IDEA
12.1.B
Trends in first ionization energy
across periods account for the
existence of main energy levels
and sub-levels in atoms.
IONIZATION ENERGY
Ionization energy is the energy needed to
remove one mole of electrons from the ground
state of one mole of the gaseous atom.
1st Ionization energy – energy needed to remove
the 1st outermost electron
2nd Ionization energy – energy needed to remove
the 2nd outermost electron
3rd Ionization energy – energy needed to remove
the 3rd outermost electron.
Etc, etc…
EVIDENCE FROM IONIZATION
ENERGIES
The graph from the previous slide
shows evidence that each energy level
contains a certain number of electrons
before it becomes full.
UNDERSTANDING/KEY IDEA
12.1.C
Successive ionization energy
data for an element give
information that shows relations
to electron configurations.
KEY POINTS
There is an increase in successive ionization
energies.
As you remove one electron, it takes more energy to
remove the next electron because the effective nuclear
charge is stronger upon the removal of each electron.
There are jumps in energies needed to remove
electrons depending upon how close you are to
the nucleus.
The valence electrons are the easiest to remove.
You will have a significant jump in ionization energy as
you move into the core electrons or as you enter a
new sublevel.
SUCCESSIVE IONIZATION ENERGIES
Upon studying successive ionization energies,
scientists have additional evidence that orbitals
do have sub levels. Aluminum 2,8,3
If one looks at the 8 electrons in the second energy
level of aluminum (the 1st three valence electrons
are already pulled off), there is a jump in energy
between the 6 electrons in the p-sublevel and the 2
in the s-sublevel. The 2 electrons in the s-sublevel
are closer to the nucleus and harder to pull off.
IONIZATION ENERGIES AND
ELECTRON CONFIGURATION
Generally there is an increase in ionization
energies as one moves from left to right on the
periodic table.
As you move from left to right, the nuclear
charge increases therefore making it more
difficult to remove an electron.
As you move down the periodic table, there is a
decrease in ionization energies because the
outermost electrons are further away from the
nucleus.
 APPLICATION/SKILLS

Be able to deduce the group of

an element from its successive
ionization energy data.
When the ionization energy makes a large
jump, you can tell what group the
element is from.
200 to 8000 would mean one electron
was easily pulled off so you would be in
Group 1.
200,400,600, 10000 would mean Group 3
because the large jump occurred after
the 3rd electron was pulled off.
 APPLICATION/SKILLS

Be able to explain the trends

and discontinuities in first
ionization energy across a
period.
1st IONIZATION ENERGIES FOR
THE FIRST 20 ELEMENTS
TWO SIGNIFICANT POINTS
Why did the energy drop from Be to B if
they are the same row and why did the
energy drop from Mg to Al?
There is another drop from N to O and
from P to S, why did this occur?
Decrease from Group 2 to Group 3
One would expect an increase from Be to
B since they are in the same energy level,
however, there is a decrease and this is
due to electron configuration.
The outer electrons being removed from Be
and Mg in Group 2 are in the “s” orbitals.
The outer electrons being removed from B
and Al in Group 3 are in the “p” orbitals.
The “p” orbital electrons take less energy to
remove than the “s” orbital electrons which
are closer to the nucleus.
Decrease from Group 5 to Group 6
One would expect an increase from Group 5
to Group 6, but this is not so.
Look again at the e- configurations.
• Group 5 elements have the basic configuration of ns2,
npx1, npy1, npz1
• Group 6 elements have the basic configuration of ns2,
npx2, npy1, npz1
An electron is easier to remove from a doubly
occupied orbital because it is being repelled by its
partner electron and takes less energy to pull off
than electrons in singly occupied orbitals.
Citations
International Baccalaureate Organization. Chemistry Guide,
First assessment 2016. Updated 2015.

Brown, Catrin, and Mike Ford. Higher Level Chemistry. 2nd ed.

N.p.: Pearson Baccalaureate, 2014. Print.
ISBN 978 1 447 95975 5
eBook 978 1 447 95976 2

Most of the information found in this power point comes

directly from this textbook.

The power point has been made to directly complement the

Higher Level Chemistry textbook by Brown and Ford and is
used for direct instructional purposes only.