Chapter 7: Quantum Theory and the Electronic Structure of Atoms

Question 1

Actinide Series

Answer 1

Elements that have incompletely filled 5f subshells or readily give rise to cations that have incompletely filled 5f subshells

Question 2

Amplitude

Answer 2

The vertical difference from the middle of a wave to the peak or trough

Question 3

Atomic Orbital

Answer 3

The wave function (psi) of an electron in an atom

Question 4

Aufbau principle

Answer 4

As protons are added one by one to the nucleus to build up the elements, electrons similarly are added to the atomic orbitals

Question 5

Boundary surface diagram

Answer 5

Diagram of the region containing a substantial amount of the electron density (about 90%) in an orbital

Question 6

Dimagnetic

Answer 6

Repelled by a magnet, a dimagnetic substance contains only paired electrons

Question 7

Electromagnetic radiation

Answer 7

The emission and transmission of energy in the form of electromagnetic waves

Question 8

Electromagnetic wave

Answer 8

A wave that has an electric field component and a mutually perpendicular magnetic field component

Question 9

Electron configuration

Answer 9

The distribution of electrons among the various orbitals in an atom or molecule

Question 10

Electron density

Answer 10

The probability that an electron will be found at a particular region in an atomic orbital

Question 11

Emission spectra

Answer 11

Continuous or line spectra emitted by substances

Question 12

Excited level/state

Answer 12

A state that has higher energy than the ground state

Question 13

Frequency

Answer 13

(nu) the number of waves that pass through a particular point per unit time

Question 14

Ground level

Answer 14

The lowest energy state of a system

Question 15

Ground state

Answer 15

The lowest energy state of a system

Question 16

Heisenberg uncertainty principle

Answer 16

It is impossible to know simultaneously both the momentum and the position of a particle with certainty

Question 17

Hund’s Rule

Answer 17

The most stable arrangement of electrons in subshells is the one with the greatest number of parallel spins

Question 18

Lanthanide

Answer 18

Elements that have incompletely filled 4f subshells or readily give rise to cations that have incompletely filled 4f subshells

Question 19

Line spectra

Answer 19

Spectra produced when radiation is absorbed or emitted by substances only at some wavelengths

Question 20

Many-electron atom

Answer 20

Atoms that contain two or more electrons

Question 21

noble gas core

Answer 21

The electron configuration of the noble gas element that most nearly precedes the element being considered

Question 22

node

Answer 22

The point at which the amplitude of the wave is zero

Question 23

paramagnetic

Answer 23

Attracted by a magnet. A paramagnetic substance contains one ore more unpaired electros

Question 24

Pauli exclusion principle

Answer 24

No two electrons in an atom can have the same four quantum numbers

Question 25

Photoelectric effect

Answer 25

A phenomenon in which electrons are ejected from the surface of certain metals exposed to light of at least a certain minimum frequency

Question 26

Photon

Answer 26

A particle of light

Question 27

Quantum

Answer 27

The smallest quantity of energy that can be emitted (or absorbed) in the form of electromagnetic radiation.

Question 28

Quantum numbers

Answer 28

Numbers that describe the distribution of electrons in hydrogen and other atoms

Question 29

Rare earth series

Answer 29

Same as lanthanide series

Question 30

Transition metals

Answer 30

Elements that have incompletely filled d subshells or readily give rise to cations that have incompletely filled d subshells

Question 31

Wave

Answer 31

A vibrating disturbance by which energy is transmitted

Question 32

Wavelength

Answer 32

(lambda) The distance between identical points on successful waves