South Pasadena • Honors Chemistry
Name
9 • Atomic Structure
Period
STATION
1
Date
– WAVE CALCULATIONS
c =  ν
E=hν
c = 3.0 × 108 m/s
h = 6.626 × 10–34 J·s
The color orange (school colors) has a wavelength of 615 nm.
 Calculate the frequency of orange light.

1 nm = 109 m
Calculate the energy of a photon of orange light.

If this is a wave of ORANGE light, sketch what a wave of
RED light would look like.

The red light would have a [ higher | lower ] frequency, a
[ longer | shorter ] wavelength, and [ more | less ] energy
compared to orange light.
9  Atomic Structure
STATION
2
Circle the subshells that do NOT exist:
–
SHELLS, SUBSHELLS
4p
_____ The number of orbitals in a 4d subshell.
_____ The number of orbitals in the n = 2 shell.
_____ The number of subshells in the n = 5 shell.
_____ The number of electrons in the n = 3 shell.
_____ The number of orbitals in a 4f subshell.
_____ The number of subshells in the n = 3 shell.
_____ The number of electrons in a 6p subshell.
1p
2f
5s
3d
7p
2d
& ORBITALS
3s
Students fill the outer electrons in oxygen in the
following way. Explain what is wrong, if
anything, with each.
9  Atomic Structure
STATION 3

– SHELLS,
ORBITALS & SPECTRA
List the six subshells that make up the n = 6 shell and state how many electrons fit in each subshell:
subshell:
# of electrons

Using your periodic table only (not your notes or an orbital diagram) write the orbitals in order of lowest energy to
highest energy.
_____ < _____ < _____ < _____ < _____ < _____ < _____ < _____ < _____ < _____ < _____
Consider the emission spectrum of hydrogen:
V

BV
BG
Red
Draw an arrow showing how an electron must change to create the red line in the
spectrum above.
9  Atomic Structure
STATION
4
–
ORBITALS
& ELECTRON CONFIG.
Write the long form electron configuration for the element selenium, Se (Z = 34).
_____ The number of completely filled orbitals.
Element
Total Electrons
Valence Electrons
Long Form Electron
Configuration
Short Form Electron
Configuration
Ion Formed
Short-Form Electron
Configuration of Ion
Sulfur, S (Z = 16)
_____ The number of half-filled orbitals.
Nickel, Ni (Z = 28)
9  Atomic Structure
STATION
5
–
USING THE ELECTRON CONFIGURATION
Consider the element vanadium, V (Z=23).
 Fill in the orbital energy diagram for the
electrons in vanadium.

Write the short form electron configuration for V.

Write the short form electron configuration for V2+.

Write the equation for the 1st ionization energy of V:
The 1st ionization energy removes an electron from the ___ orbital.

For vanadium, state:
 Number of half-filled orbitals: _____
 Number of valence electrons: _____
 Orbital of highest energy electron:_____
 Orbital of electron that is furthest from the
nucleus: _____
Write the equation for the 2nd ionization energy of V:
The 2nd ionization energy removes an electron from the ___ orbital.

Write the equation for the 3rd ionization energy of V:
The 3rd ionization energy removes an electron from the ___ orbital.
9  Atomic Structure
STATION 6
Element
Total
e–
Valence
e–
–
ELEMENTS & ELECTRON CONFIG.
Long Form
Short Form
Cl
38
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p3
[He] 2s2 2p1
Ge4+
For the examples of the 8 families of the representative elements, state the # of valence electrons and what ion they form.
Element:
Li
Be
B
C
N
O
F
Ne
# valence electrons:
ion formed:
9  Atomic Structure
STATION
7
–
Z AND
Z
e f f
Consider the element aluminum, Al. The nuclear charge (Z) for Al is ____. Al has ___ valence
electrons and ___ core electrons. An outer electron of Al feels ____ (Zeff) because the outer
electron is attracted by ____ protons and repelled by ____ core electrons.
When one electron is removed, an outer electron of Al+ has a Zeff = ____.
When a second electron is removed, an outer electron of Al2+ has a Zeff = ____.
When a third electron is removed, an outer electron of Al3+ has a Zeff = ____.
Fill in the following chart:
Element:
Li
Be
B
C
N
O
F
Ne
Nuclear charge (Z):
# of core electrons:
Zeff:
Moving across a period (e.g. from Li to Ne), the atomic radius [ increases | decreases ] and the first ionization energy
[ increases | decreases ]. Use the Zeff above, explain briefly.
Moving down a family (e.g. from B to Al), the atomic radius [ increases | decreases ] and the first ionization energy
[ increases | decreases ]. Explain briefly.
9  Atomic Structure
STATION
8
–
TRENDS IN SIZE
For each pair of elements, circle the element with the larger atomic radius. Explain briefly.
 Mg
Ca

N
O

Sn
As

O2–
Mg2+

K
K+

I
I–
Put these five elements in order from smallest atomic radius to largest atomic radius. F Br Ca K Cs
Smallest
Largest
9  Atomic Structure
STATION
9
–
TRENDS IN IONIZATION
For each pair of elements, circle the element with the larger
ionization energy. Explain briefly.
 F
Cl

Na
Be

Al
Si
ENERGY
The Period 3 Elements are:
Na
Mg
Al
Si
P
S
Cl
Ar
Consider the successive ionization energy data for
unknown elements X and Y in Period 3 (in kJ/mol):
IE1
IE2
IE3
IE4
IE5
Element X: 736
1445
7730 10,600 13,600
Element Y: 787
1575
3220
4350 16,100
Which Period 3 element is X?

C
N
Which Period 3 element is Y?

Ca+
Which Period 3 element has the largest 3rd ionization
energy?
Ca2+
9  Atomic Structure
STATION
9
–
TRENDS IN IONIZATION
For each pair of elements, circle the element with the larger
ionization energy. Explain briefly.
 F
Cl

Na
Be

Al
Si
ENERGY
The Period 3 Elements are:
Na
Mg
Al
Si
P
S
Cl
Ar
Consider the successive ionization energy data for
unknown elements X and Y in Period 3 (in kJ/mol):
IE1
IE2
IE3
IE4
IE5
Element X: 736
1445
7730 10,600 13,600
Element Y: 787
1575
3220
4350 16,100
Which Period 3 element is X?

C
N
Which Period 3 element is Y?

Ca+
Ca2+
Which Period 3 element has the largest 3rd ionization
energy?