Vocab Ch. 4

Question 1

angular momentum quantum number

Answer 1

the quantum number that indicates the shape of an orbital

Question 2

Aufbau principle

Answer 2

the principle that states that the structure if each successive element is obtained by adding one proton to the nucleus of the atom and one electron to the lowest-energy orbital that is available

Question 3

continuous spectrum

Answer 3

the uninterrupted broad band of all colors (wavelengths) emitted by incandescent solids

Question 4

electromagnetic radiation

Answer 4

the radiation associated with an electric and magnetic field; it varies periodically and travels at the speed of light

Question 5

electromagnetic spectrum

Answer 5

all of the frequencies or wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation

Question 6

electron configuration

Answer 6

the arrangement of electrons in an atom

Question 7

excited state

Answer 7

a state in which an atom has more energy than it does at its ground state

Question 8

frequency

Answer 8

the number of cycles or vibrations per unit of time; the number of waves produced in a given amount of time

Question 9

ground state

Answer 9

the lowest energy state of a quantized system

Question 10

Heisenberg uncertainty principle

Answer 10

the principle states that determining both the position and velocity of an electron or any other particle simultaneously is impossible

Question 11

Hund’s rule

Answer 11

the rule that states that for an atom in the ground state, the number of unpaired electrons is the maximum possible and these unpaired electrons have the same spin

Question 12

line-emission spectrum

Answer 12

a diagram or graph that indicates the degree to which a substance emits radiant energy concerning wavelength

Question 13

magnetic quantum number

Answer 13

the quantum number that corresponds to the alignment of the angular momentum component with a magnetic field

Question 14

noble gas

Answer 14

one of the elements of Group 18 of the periodic table (helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon, radon); noble gases are unreactive

Question 15

noble-gas configuration

Answer 15

an outer main energy level fully occupied, in most cases by eight electrons

Question 16

orbital

Answer 16

a region in an atom where there is a high probability of finding electrons

Question 17

Pauli exclusion principle

Answer 17

the principle that states that two particles of a certain class cannot be in exactly the same energy state

Question 18

photoelectric effect

Answer 18

the emission of electrons from a material when light of certain frequencies shines on the surface of the material

Question 19

proton

Answer 19

a unit or quantum of light; a particle of electromagnetic radiation that has zero rest mass and carries a quantum of energy

Question 20

principal quantum number

Answer 20

the quantum number that indicates the energy and orbital of an electron is an atom

Question 21

quantum

Answer 21

the basic unit of electromagnetic energy; it characterizes the wave properties of electrons

Question 22

quantum number

Answer 22

a number that specifies certain properties of electrons

Question 23

quantum theory

Answer 23

the study of the structure and behavior of the atom and of subatomic particles from the view that all energy comes in tiny, indivisible bundles

Question 24

spin quantum number

Answer 24

the quantum number that describes the intrinsic angular momentum of a particle

Question 25

wavelength

Answer 25

the distance from any point on a wave to an identical point on the next wave