Chemistry Review Worksheet – Electron structure of atoms

Provide, the best, complete, detailed, neatly written response to the following on a
separate sheet of paper.

1. Write the electron configuration (ie: 1s2, 2s1), orbital diagram, noble gas notation, and
Lewis dot notation for:
a. H, Li, Na, and K atoms

b. Be, Mg and Ca atoms

c. C, Si and Ge atoms

2. What does the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation represent? Sketch a

representation of a wave and indicate the wavelength on your graph. How does the
wavelength of electromagnetic radiation differ from its frequency?

3. What do we mean by the speed of electromagnetic radiation? How do the frequency

and speed of electromagnetic radiation differ?

4. When an atom in an excited state returns to its ground state, what happens to the
excess energy of the atom?

5. The shorter the wavelength of light, the (larger/smaller) will be the amount of energy
carried per photon of the light.

6. The energy of an emitted photon corresponds to the _____ in energy between the
excited state of an atom and its ground state.

7. How does the Bohr theory account for the observed phenomenon of the emission of
discrete wavelengths of light by excited atoms?

8. Why was Schrödinger not able to describe exactly the pathway an electron takes as it
moves through the space of an atom?

9. What are the differences between the 2s orbital and the 1s orbital of hydrogen? How
are they similar?

10. What designations are given to the energy sublevels in the fourth principal energy
level (n = 4)? In the fifth principal energy level (n = 5)?

11. What do we mean when we say that each electron in an atom has its own intrinsic
“spin?”

12. Which of the following orbital designations is (are) not correct?

a. 2p b. 3f c. 1d d. 4s
13. Which orbital is the first to be filled in an atom? Why?

14. Why do we believe that the valence electrons of calcium and potassium reside in the
4s orbital rather than the 3d orbital?

15. How many 3d electrons are found in each of the following elements?

a. scandium b. chromium c. zinc d. titanium

In performing any calculations, show All EQUATIONS (variable form first), units,
significance and work. Use dimensional analysis whenever possible!

1. Excited sodium atoms may emit radiation having a wavelength of 589 nm.

a) What is the wavelength in meters?   b) What is the frequency of this light?

c) What region of the spectrum is this in?   d) What is the energy of this light?

2. How does quantum theory explain the fact that excited potassium atoms emit light at
only a relatively few wavelengths?

3. Draw the orbital diagrams for O and Si. How many unpaired electrons are in each of
these?

4. Of the following electron configurations, state whether each represents an atom in the
ground state, a possible excited state, or is incorrect. Explain.

a) 1s22s22p1   b) 1s22s13s1   c) 1s22s22p63s22d2   d) 1s22s42p2   e) 1s12s1

5. A radio station has a frequency of 96.5 MHz. Find the wavelength and energy of this
frequency.

6. Microwaves have a frequency of around 2.5 GHz. What is the wavelength? (1 GHz =
109 Hz)

7. What is the energy associated with 688 nm light? What color is this wavelength?

8. A certain photon of radiation has energy of 4.56 x 10-15 J. What is the wavelength of
this light, in nm?

9. A certain light has energy of 4.56 x 10-19 J. What color is this light? (Hint: find
wavelength in nm.)
Chemistry Review Worksheet – Electron structure of atoms ANSWERS
Provide, the best, complete, detailed, neatly written response to the following on a
separate sheet of paper.

1. Write the electron configuration (ie: 1s2, 2s1), orbital diagram, noble gas notation, and
Lewis dot notation for:
a. H, Li, Na, and K atoms

H 1s1 H•

No noble gas notation _______

1s

Li 1s2 2s1 Li•

[He] 2s1 _______ _______

1s 2s

Na 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1 Na•

[Ne] 3s1 _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______

1s 2s 2p 3s

K 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 K•

[Ar] 4s1 _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______

1s 2s 2p 3s

_______ _______ _______ _______

3p 4s

b. Be, Mg and Ca atoms

Be 1s2 2s2 Be:

[He] 2s2 ________ _______

Mg 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 Mg:

[Ne] 3s2 _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ ________

1s 2s 2p 3s

Ca 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 Ca:

[Ar] 4s2
_______ _______ _______ _______ _______ ________
1s 2s 2p 3s

_______ _______ _______ _______

3p 4s

c. C, Si and Ge atoms

C 1s2 2s2 2p2

[He] 2s2 2p2 _______ _______ _______ _______ _______

1s 2s 2p

Si 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p2

[Ne] 3s2 3p2

_______ _______ _______ _______ ______ _______
1s 2s 2p 3s

_______ ______ ______

3p

Ge 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p2

[Ar] 4s2 4p2

 _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______
1s 2s 2p 3s

_______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______ _______

3p 4s 4p

2. What does the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation represent? Sketch a

representation of a wave and indicate the wavelength on your graph. How does the
wavelength of electromagnetic radiation differ from its frequency?

The wavelength of electromagnetic radiation is the distance between identical points

on successive waves.

Wavelength is distance between identical points on successive waves whereas,

frequency is the number of waves produced per period of time.

3. What do we mean by the speed of electromagnetic radiation? How do the frequency

and speed of electromagnetic radiation differ?

Electromagnetic radiation travels at the speed of light, 3.00 x 108 m/s. Speed
describes rate of travel whereas, frequency is the number of waves passing a point
per unit of time.

4. When an atom in an excited state returns to its ground state, what happens to the
excess energy of the atom?

The atom, or its electron(s), emit or give off a photon or quantum of energy
equivalent to the energy difference between the excited state and the ground state.
5. The shorter the wavelength of light, the (larger/smaller) will be the amount of energy
carried per photon of the light.

The shorter the wavelength of light, the (larger) will be the amount of energy
carried per photon of the light.

6. The energy of an emitted photon corresponds to the _____ in energy between the
excited state of an atom and its ground state.

The energy of an emitted photon corresponds to the _difference____ in energy

between the excited state of an atom and its ground state.

7. How does the Bohr theory account for the observed phenomenon of the emission of
discrete wavelengths of light by excited atoms?

Bohr states the electrons are traveling in circular pathways called orbits. Each orbit
has its own distinct energy. The electrons being confined to these orbits may emit a
specific energy, ∆E, when dropping from an excited state into a lower energy state.
This energy is emitted as a quantum or photon, thus having a specific frequency,
and ultimately, a specific wavelength.

8. Why was Schrödinger not able to describe exactly the pathway an electron takes as it
moves through the space of an atom?

According to the uncertainty principle, the electron is too small and moving to
rapidly to identify its position and momentum at the same time. Therefore, the
electron could only be described by Schrödinger as a probable region in space
where the electron may be found based upon its wave function.

9. What are the differences between the 2s orbital and the 1s orbital of hydrogen? How
are they similar?

The 2s orbital is larger and greater in energy than the 1s orbital. They are both
lower energy orbitals having the same shape; spherical.

10. What designations are given to the energy sublevels in the fourth principal energy
level (n = 4)? In the fifth principal energy level (n = 5)?

For n = 4 there is a 4s, 4p, 4d, 4f. For n=5 there is a 5s, 5p, 5d, 5f, and 5g.

11. What do we mean when we say that each electron in an atom has its own intrinsic
“spin?”
Each electron through its own motion generates a magnetic field around itself.
When electrons occupy the same orbital, the electrons must “spin” oppositely in
order to generate magnetic fields that have oppositely aligned poles.

12. Which of the following orbital designations is (are) not correct?

a. 2p b. 3f c. 1d d. 4s

There is no 3f sublevel or 3f orbitals. There is no 1d sublevel or 1d orbitals.

13. Which orbital is the first to be filled in an atom? Why?

The first energy sublevel and thus atomic orbital to acquire an electron is the 1s
orbital. This orbital represents the lowest energy orbital available within the atomic
structure.

14. Why do we believe that the valence electrons of calcium and potassium reside in the
4s orbital rather than the 3d orbital?

The energies of the atom indicate the electron of potassium enters the 4s which
creates a half filled sublevel (4s1) and lower energy as compared to entering the 3d
which as 3d1 provides no additional stability and hence no lower energy. The same
reasoning applies to calcium whose energy is lowered by creating a filled energy
sublevel, 4s2, which if the electron goes into the 3d, forming a 3d2, provides no
additional stability as a result of lower energy.

15. How many 3d electrons are found in each of the following elements?

a. scandium b. chromium c. zinc d. titanium

a. Scandium has one 3d electron.

b. Chromium has five 3d electrons.
c. Zinc has ten 3d electrons.
d. Titanium has two 3d electrons.

In performing any calculations, show All EQUATIONS (variable form first), units,
significance and work. Use dimensional analysis whenever possible!

1. Excited sodium atoms may emit radiation having a wavelength of 589 nm.

a) What is the wavelength in meters?   b) What is the frequency of this light?

c) What region of the spectrum is this in?   d) What is the energy of this light?
 a) 589 nm x 10-9 m = 5.89 x 10-7 m
1 nm

b)
ν = c = 3.00 x 108 m/s = 3.00 x 108 m x 1 x 1 nm
λ 589 nm s 589 nm 10-9 m

= 1.50 x 10+17 /s

c) This falls in the visible spectrum. The end of the yellow region
specifically.

d) E = h ν = 6.626 x 10-34 J-s x 3.15 x 1014 s1-

= 2.09 x 10-19 J

2. How does quantum theory explain the fact that excited potassium atoms emit light at
only a relatively few wavelengths?

In quantum theory, the electrons are only permitted a limited number of transitions
between energy states/levels within the potassium atom. As such, there are a limited
number of frequencies and hence corresponding wavelengths that are associated
with these energy transitions made by the electrons.

3. Draw the orbital diagrams for O and Si. How many unpaired electrons are in each of
these?

Oxygen _______ _______ _______ _______ _______

1s 2s 2p

Silicon _______ _______ _______ _______ ______ _______

1s 2s 2p 3s

_______ _______ _______

3p

There are two unpaired electrons in each of these atoms.

4. Of the following electron configurations, state whether each represents an atom in the
ground state, a possible excited state, or is incorrect. Explain.

a) 1s22s22p1   b) 1s22s13s1   c) 1s22s22p63s22d2   d) 1s22s42p2   e) 1s12s1

a) Ground state – aufbau followed all electrons in their lowest possible

energy positions.
b) Excited state – electron occupying a higher energy 3s orbital when there
is availability in a lower energy 2s orbital.
c) Incorrect – the second energy level, n = 2 does not have a “d” energy
sublevel.
d) Excited state - electron occupying a higher energy 2s orbital when there is
availability in a lower energy 1s orbital.

5. A radio station has a frequency of 96.5 MHz. Find the wavelength and energy of this
frequency.

λ = c = 3.00 x 108 m/s x 1 MHz x 1 Hz

Ѵ 96.5 MHz 10+6 Hz 1 s-1

= 3.11 m

E = h Ѵ = 6.626 x 10-34 J/Hz (96.5 MHz) 10+6 Hz

1 MHz
-26
= 6.39 x 10 J

6. Microwaves have a frequency of around 2.5 GHz. What is the wavelength? (1 GHz =
109 Hz)

λ = c = 3.00 x 108 m/s x 1 GHz x 1 Hz

Ѵ 2.5 GHz 10+9 Hz 1 s-1

= 0.12 m

7. What is the energy associated with 688 nm light? What color is this wavelength?

E = h c = 6.626 x 10-34 J-s (3.00 x 108 m/s) x 1 nm

λ 688 nm 10-9 m
 = 2.89 x 10-19 J

OR

Ѵ = c = 3.00 x 108 m/s

λ 688 nm

= 3.00 x 108 m x 1 x 1 nm_

-9
s 688 nm 10 m

= 4.360 465 116 x 1014 /s OR 4.360 465 116 x 1014 s-1

E = h Ѵ = 6.626 x 10-34 J-s (4.360 465 116 x 1014 /s)

= 2.89 x 10-19 J

Color is RED!

8. A certain photon of radiation has energy of 4.56 x 10-15 J. What is the wavelength of
this light, in nm?

λ = hc = 6.626 x 10-34 J-s (3.00 x 108 m/s) x 1 nm

E 4.56 x 10-15 J 10-9 m

= 4.36 x 10-2 nm

OR

Ѵ = E = 4.56 x 10-15 J__

H 6.626 x 10-34 J-s

= 6.881 980 078 x 1014 /s OR 6.881 980 078 x 1014 s-1

λ = c = 3.00 x 108 m/s x 1 nm

Ѵ 6.881 980 078 x 1014 s-1 10-9 m
 = 4.36 x 10-2 nm

9. A certain light has energy of 4.56 x 10-19 J. What color is this light? (Hint: find
wavelength in nm.)

λ = hc = 6.626 x 10-34 J-s (3.00 x 108 m/s)

E 4.56 x 10-19 J

= 4.36 x 10-7 m

OR

Ѵ = E = 4.56 x 10-19 J__

H 6.626 x 10-34 J-s

= 6.881 980 078 x 1014 /s OR 6.881 980 078 x 1014 s-1

λ = c = 3.00 x 108 m/s______

Ѵ 6.881 980 078 x 1014 s-1

= 4.36 x 10-7 m

Color is blue!