Answers to Discussion Questions

6. (a) The polarity of plate A is “” since positively charged 1H and 4He nuclides are
attracted to it.

𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒
(b) The angle of deflection is directly proportional to the | | ratio of the charged
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠
particle.

𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒
nuclei | |
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒
1 Since the | | ratio of 1H is twice
1H 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠
=1 that of 4He, 1H is deflected twice as
1
4He
2 1 much as 4He.
=
4 2

(c)
𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑔𝑒
nuclei | | angle of deflection
𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠
2H
1
2
2
2
(angle of deflection of 1H)
2 2 charge 3
3He = ( of 1H)
3 3 mass 2
=  4 = 2.67°
3

7. (a) (i) (A) 1s (B) 2s (C) 2py (D) 2pz (E) 2px

(ii) Orbital (B) is bigger and more diffuse than orbital (A).
Orbital (B) is at a higher energy level than orbital (A).

(iii) Orbital (B) has a spherical shape and is non–directional.

Orbital (C) has a dumbbell shape and is directional as the electron density is
concentrated along the y axis.

(iv) Orbitals (C), (D) and (E)

(b) (i) According to Hund’s Rule, if 2 or more orbitals of equal energy are available,
the electron enters the one which is empty in order to minimise inter–
electronic repulsion. Since (C) and (E) have the same energy and (C) is
already doubly–filled, (E) cannot be empty.

(b) (ii) 1 or 2 electrons in (E) (Can remind students that the orbitals in the same
subshell are degenerate)

(c) (i) Z = 2, 4 and 10 (c) (ii) Z = 7

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 (d)

8. (a) (i) 3– 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6
33As
(ii) 31Ga3+ 1s 2s 2p 3s2 3p6 3d10
2 2 6

(iii) 36Kr 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6
(iv) 22Ti2+ 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d2
(v) 50Sn2+ 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 5s2

(b) 3– 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p5 4d1
33As and 36Kr (c)
or others

(d) Energy level diagram to

illustrate the ground state
electronic configuration of Ti:
[

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9. (a) Li 1s2 2s1 Na 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1

 Li has higher first ionisation energy than Na.

 Na has one more electronic shell than Li, i.e. the 3s electron in Na is
further away from the nucleus than the 2s electron in Li
 Despite the increasing nuclear charge, electrostatic attraction between the
nucleus and the valence electron of Na is weaker, resulting in a smaller
amount of energy required to remove the valence electron from Na.

(b) Be 1s2 2s2 B 1s2 2s2 2p1

 Be has higher first ionisation energy than B.

 The 2s electron in Be is at a lower energy level than the 2p electron in B
and is hence more strongly attracted by nucleus.
 Hence more energy is needed to remove the 2s electron in Be.

(c) N 1s2 2s2 2p3 O 1s2 2s2 2p4

 N has higher first ionisation energy than O.

 The valence electron to be removed from N is an unpaired electron while
that to be removed from O is a paired electron.
 The paired electron in O experiences repulsion which facilitates its
removal and hence requires less energy for removal.

(d) F 1s2 2s2 2p5 Ne 1s2 2s2 2p6

 Ne has higher first ionisation energy than F.

 The Ne atom has one proton more than the F atom and hence has a higher
nuclear charge.
 The Ne atom also has one electron more than the F atom but this electron
is added to the same outermost shell and hence shielding effect remains
approximately constant.
 Consequently the valence electrons in Ne experience a higher effective
nuclear charge, hence electrostatic attraction between the nucleus and
the valence electrons of Ne is stronger, resulting in a greater amount of
energy required to remove the valence electron from an Ne atom.

(e) Ne 1s2 2s2 2p6 Na 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1

 Ne has higher first ionisation energy than Na.

 Na has one more electronic shell than Ne, resulting in the 3s electron in
Na experiencing a significantly stronger shielding despite having a higher
nuclear charge.
 Hence the 3s electron in Na is less strongly attracted by the nucleus and
requires less energy to be removed compared to the 2p electron in Ne.

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10. (a)

(b) P 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p3 P3- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6

 Both P3- and P have the same number of protons and hence have the same
nuclear charge.
 However P3 has more electrons than P leading to greater electron–
electron repulsion and hence resulting in an increase in the size of the
electron cloud.
 Consequently the ionic radius of P3 is larger than the atomic radius of P.

(c) Na+ 1s2 2s2 2p6 Mg2+ 1s2 2s2 2p6

 Na+ and Mg2+ have the same number of electrons and hence their valence
electrons experience the same shielding effect.
 However, Mg2+ has one more proton and hence has a higher nuclear
charge than Na+.
 Consequently the valence electrons in Mg2+ experience a greater effective
nuclear charge and are more strongly attracted by the nucleus, resulting
in a decrease in the size of the electron cloud.
 Hence the ionic radius of Mg2+ is less than that of Na+.

11. (a) There is a large jump in the 4th and 5th ionisation energies.
This indicates that significantly more energy is needed to remove the 5 th
electron. Thus this 5th electron is located in an inner shell that is nearer to
the nucleus and is attracted strongly by the nucleus
Therefore there are 4 valence electrons.
Hence Q belongs to Group 14 of the Periodic Table.

(b) ns2 np2

(c) The 6th ionisation energy of Q is the energy required to remove one mole of
electrons from one mole of gaseous Q5+ ions to form one mole of gaseous Q6+
ions.

OR Q5+(g)  Q6+(g) + e–; H = 6th ionisation energy

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 (d) The 6th ionisation energy would be greater than the 5th because the 6th electron
is being removed from a more positively charged ion than that of the 5th
electron.
The more positively charged ion would hold on to the electron more strongly
and hence more energy is required for the removal of the electron.

12. (a) 9 orbitals

(s – 1 orbital; p – 3 orbitals; d – 5 orbitals; f – 7 orbitals; g – 9 orbitals)

Note:
Students may want to read up on the 4 quantum numbers and apply their knowledge here.
Number of orbitals in a subshell = 2l + 1, where l = angular momentum quantum number.
For s orbital, l = 0; p orbital, l = 1; d orbital, l = 2; f orbital, l = 3; g orbital, l = 4.
Hence number of orbitals in the g subshell = (2 x 4) + 1 = 9.

(b) 18

Note:
Each orbital can accommodate 2 electrons, so 9 orbitals can accommodate up to 18 electrons.
Hence there are 18 elements.

(c) 4p  5s  4d  5p  6s  4f  5d

(d) 6d, 7p, 8s and 5g

(e) Two 5g electrons

13. (a) (i) Energy difference between the 1st and the 2nd I.E.s is smaller because
both involve the removal of electrons from the same outermost shell. [1]
The difference between the 2nd and 3rd IEs is greater because the 3rd electron
to be removed is located in an inner shell / a shell of a lower principal
quantum number, which is closer to the nucleus [1].
Thus, the 3rd IE is very much higher than the 2nd IE, resulting in a much greater
energy difference.

(ii) No. Element Q is from Group 1 and given the I.E.s, element must have at least
5 electrons. Group 1 element in Period 2 (i.e. Li) has only 3 electrons.
[1]

(iii) 𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 = 0.02(420 + 3050 + 4420) = +157.8 𝑘𝐽 [1]

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 (b) (i) A+(g)  A2+(g) + e [1]
[state symbols must be present, no marks for definition with words only]

(ii)

[1] – bigger jump from 3rd to 4th I.E

[1] – very big jump from 5th to 6th I.E
Minus [½]for wrong (or missing) axes
Ionisation Energy/ kJ mol-1

Ionisation
number

1 2 3 4 5 6

(iii) Valence shell electronic configuration of C+: 2s2 2p3

Valence shell electronic configuration of D+: 2s2 2p4 [1]

The electron to be removed from D+ experiences inter–electronic repulsion

[1] between paired electrons in a p orbital.
Hence less energy is required to remove the electron compared to that for C+
ion where all the p electrons are in singly occupied orbitals.

(iv) 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p1 [1]

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