Inorganic Part 1

Question 1

Aufbau principle states that…

Answer 1

the lowest energy levels are filled first and thus, provided the relative energies are known, the electron configuration can be deduced.

Electrons fill in order of increasing energy.

Question 2

Pauli Exclusion Principle states that…

Answer 2

no two electrons in the same atom can have the same set of 4 quantum numbers (therefore no orbital can hold more than two electrons and these electrons must have opposite spins)

Question 3

Hund’s Rule

Answer 3

when degenerate orbitals are available, electrons fill singly, keeping their spins parallel before pairing starts.

Question 4

Explain how a line is produced in an emission spectrum (2)

Answer 4

1. The lines in the emission spectrum are produced when electrons, which have been promoted to a higher energy level (either by heat or electrical discharge, fall back down to lower energy levels).
2. In falling back down to lower energy levels from the excited state the atom emits radiation of a specific wavelength or frequency from which the difference in energy between the levels can be calculated.

Question 5

Explain how a line is produced in an emission spectrum (2)

Answer 5

1. The lines in the emission spectrum are produced when electrons, which have been promoted to a higher energy level (either by heat or electrical discharge, fall back down to lower energy levels).
2. In falling back down to lower energy levels from the excited state the atom emits radiation of a specific wavelength or frequency from which the difference in energy between the levels can be calculated.

Question 6

EM Spectrum

Answer 6

Radio waves (long λ, high f, high E)
microwaves
infrared
visible light
UV
X rays
Gamma rays (short λ, low f, low E)

Question 7

Shapes of molecules:
2 electron pairs = …

Answer 7

linear

Question 8

Shapes of molecules:
3 electron pairs = …

Answer 8

trigonal planar

Question 9

Shapes of molecules:
4 electron pairs = …

Answer 9

tetrahedral

Question 10

Shapes of molecules:
5 electron pairs = …

Answer 10

trigonal bipyramidal

Question 11

Shapes of molecules:
6 electron pairs = …

Answer 11

tetrahedal