ACTIVITY 1: ATOMIC STRUCTURE

Why?

Time Required In class At home 1 hour 1 hour

Atoms are the fundamental building blocks of all matter. To allow you to understand how they bond to form molecules you must be familiar with how to describe an atom, isotope and ion using atomic symbols and how this relates to the number and identity of subatomic particles. Photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) is a commonly used technique for the identification and quantitation of elements at a surface. At a fundamental level it can be used to probe the electronic structure by measuring electrons as they are ejected from an atom. The measured kinetic energy of the ejected electron can be related to the energy required to remove the electron from the atom. This energy is called ionisation energy and is the energy required to overcome an electrons attraction to protons in the nucleus. Before you begin this activity you should review your previous studies on the Bohr or shell model of the atom.

Learning Objectives
Correctly define an atomic symbol to a given number and type of subatomic particles and vice-versa for any atom or ion. Relate ionisation energy to the electronic structure of the atom. Compare models of the atom based on empirical evidence from PES.

Resources
Blackman et al, Chemistry, Chapters 1.4, 4.14.3, pp 1015, 102118.

Denitions
Atoms are discrete chemical species comprising a central positively charged nucleus surrounded by one or more negatively charged electrons. The nucleus comprises nucleons, which include positively charged protons and neutral neutrons. Atoms are always electrically neutral, meaning that the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons in the nucleus. Ions are chemical species that have either a positive or negative electric charge. Those with a positive charge are called cations. Those with a negative charge are called anions.

Isotopes are atoms of an element with varying numbers of nucleous. The chemistry of isotopes is generally similar, though may be distinguishable by their nuclear stability or radioactivity. We call any atomic nucleus a nuclide, while a radioactive nucleus is called a radionuclide.

Figure 1.1 (above): A representation of the atom (not to scale) showing the relative dimensions of the nucleus and electron cloud (Blackman et al, Figure 1.6)

Adapted from: Hanson, DM; Foundations of Chemistry: Applying POGIL principles, Pacic Crest, pp 16 Moog,RS; Farrell, JJ; Chemistry: A Guided Enquiry, Wiley, pp 25, 4463. Page 1 of 12

Activity 1: Atomic structure

Model 1.1: Schematic diagrams for various atoms, isotopes and ions
Table 1.1: Subatomic particles and their relative mass and charge

Particle
Proton (p+) Neutron (n) Electron (e)

Symbol

Mass (amu)
1.0073 1.0087 0.0005

Charge
+1 0 1

*Atomic mass unit (amu) is a unit of mass equal to 1.66054 x 1027 kg

Atomic Symbol Notation

Hydrogen

Deuterium

Hydrogen anion

1.0078 amu

2.0140 amu

1.0083 amu

Carbon12

Carbon13

Carbon13 anion

12.0000 amu

13.0034 amu

13.0039 amu

6 protons 6 neutrons
Oxygen16 anion

6 protons 7 neutrons
Sodium23 cation

6 protons 7 neutrons

15.9960 amu

22.9893 amu

8 protons 8 neutrons

11 protons 12 neutrons
Page 2 of 12

Activity 1: Atomic structure

Critical Thinking Questions

1. How many protons are found in ? ? ?

2.

How many neutrons are found in

3.

How many electrons are found in

4.

Consider a neutral atom and a corresponding charged ion. a) What feature distinguishes a neutral atom from an ion?

b)

Provide a mathematical expression using A, Z and n to calculate the charge on an ion.

5.

Based on Model 1.1, a) what do all carbon atoms and ions have in common?

b)

what do all hydrogen atoms and ions have in common?

c)

how many protons, neutrons and electrons are there in one atom of

6.

What information is provided by the atomic number, Z, which is the subscript to the left of the element symbol?

7.

Based on your answer to CTQ6, what do all nickel (Ni) atoms have in common?

Page 3 of 12

Activity 1: Atomic structure

8.

What feature differs between different isotopes of the same element?

9.

How is mass number, A, determined from the structure of the atom?

10.

Where is most of the mass of an atom? Explain your reasoning using complete and grammatically correct English sentences.

Model 1.2: Photoelectron spectroscopy

Ionisation energy (Ei ) is the energy required to remove an electron from a neutral atom to produce a cation. There are successive ionisation energies for each electron in an atom, for example the first ionisation energy of M to for the cation M+.

The ionisation energy can be measured by a technique called photoelectron spectroscopy or PES. In PES an atom in the gas phase is bombarded with high energy photons, either ultraviolet (UPS) or x-rays (XPS). The kinetic energy (Ekinetic ) of the ejected electron can be related to the energy of the incident photon (Ephoton ) and the ionisation energy is measured. The output from PES is the ionisation energy (in MJ mol1) versus the relative intensity proportional to the number of electrons ejected. Before photon interaction
Relative number of electrons

28.6

Ionisation energy (MJ mol1)

Simulated photoelectron spectrum of M

After photon interaction

Page 4 of 12

Activity 1: Atomic structure

Critical Thinking Questions

11. What determines the position of each peak along the horizontal (x ) axis of a photoelectron spectrum?

12.

What determines the height or intensity of the peak of a photoelectron spectrum?

13.

What is the measured ionisation energy of M from the photoelectron spectrum in Model 1.2?

14.

How is the ionisation energy determined from the measured incident photon energy (Ephoton ) and kinetic energy (Ekinetic ) of the ejected electron? Give a mathematical expression.

15.

Based on the energy of incident photons calculate the frequency of this light. Which technique was used: UPS or XPS? Hint: 1 mole photons = 6.022 x 1023 photons.

16.

Based on the Bohr model of the atom, which two elements could be represented by the photoelectron spectrum in Model 1.2? Why is it not possible to tell which it is?

Page 5 of 12

Activity 1: Atomic structure

Model 1.3: Bohr model of neon

Bohr model of Ne

Relationship between charge, distance and ionisation energy

Critical Thinking Questions

17. Based on Model 1.3, what is the Bohr electron conguration of Ne (ie 2818 etc..)?

18.

What is the relationship between ionisation energy and distance: inversely or directly proportional? Explain your reasoning.

19.

Which energy level would have a greater ionisation energy (ie which electron requires more energy to remove)? Explain your reasoning.

20.

How many peaks would you expect in the photoelectron spectrum of Ne based on the Bohrmodel?

21.

Sketch the predicted photoelectron spectrum of Ne based on the Bohr-model, including peak heights illustrating the relative number of electrons.
Relative number of electrons

Ionisation energy (MJ mol1)

Page 6 of 12

Activity 1: Atomic structure

Model 1.4: Experimental photoelectron spectrum of neon (simulated)

Relative number of electrons

84.0

4.68

2.08

Ionisation energy (MJ mol1)

Critical Thinking Questions

22. Based on Model 1.4: a) Is the experimental photoelectron spectrum the same as your answer to CTQ21?

b)

Describe where the experimental does not much our predicted spectrum?

23.

Based on the spectrum in Model 1.4 estimate the number of electrons in each of the three energy levels of Ne. Explain your reasoning clearly and remember the total number of electrons in Ne remain unchanged.

24.

What is the reasoning behind the assumption that the peak at 84.0 MJ mol1 corresponds to the electrons in the n = 1 shell? Hint: consider your answer to CTQ 18.

25.

Why are two of the three peaks in the spectrum of neon assigned to the

shell?

Page 7 of 12

Activity 1: Atomic structure

26.

Does the Bohr model of the atom hold for

? Explain your answer.

Model 4: Energy level diagrams for helium, neon and argon

Subshell

Ionisation energy (MJ mol1)

Electron conguration

Helium

Neon

Argon

Critical Thinking Questions

27. 28. Mark each peak in Model 1.4 with the subshell that the electrons were ejected from. Sketch the predicted photoelectron spectrum of , including peak heights illustrating the relative number of electrons and peak positions showing the value of ionisation energies.
Relative number of electrons

Ionisation energy (MJ mol1)

Page 8 of 12

Activity 1: Atomic structure

Homework Problems
1. What is the mass (in g) of: a) one atom?

b) one

atom?

c) 6.022 x 1023 atoms of

d) one molecule of methane which has one

atom and four

atoms, ie

2. Which particles contribute most of the volume or size of the atom, and where are these particles located?

3.

How many isotopes of a particular element could there be? What might prevent all of these isotopes from occuring naturally?

4.

The radius of a chlorine nucleus is 4.0 fm, and the radius of a atom is 100 pm. If the nucleus of the chlorine35 atom was the size of a 10c piece (23.60 mm), proportionally what size would the whole atom be?

Page 9 of 12

Activity 1: Atomic structure

5.

Complete the following table, using the first row as an example (assume a neutral atom unless otherwise indicated). The periodic table overleaf will help you answer this question. Symbol Atomic number, 5 7 Mass number, 10 Number of neutrons 5 7 Number of electrons 4 10

Name boron-10

tritium

1 9

3 10 9 24 12 10 4 10 12 146 92

beryllium-9

12

25

U
chlorine-35 17 Kr 26 37 82 56

18 36 23 60 70 51

Ag+

195 79 6. Use the data in Model 1.1 to estimate the values (in amu) of; a) the mass of an electron,

117 118

b) the mass of a proton and,

c) the mass of a neutron.

Page 10 of 12

Activity 1: Atomic structure

7.

The mass values calculated in HWP1 and 2 are only approximate. When atoms (up to Fe) are made from neutrons, protons and electrons in stars (in a process called nucleosynthesis) energy is released. The amount of energy is directly proportional to the mass lost according to Einsteins equation E = mc2. This mass defect can be used to calculate the binding energy of an atom, a measure of nuclear stability. Using the data in table 1.1 illustrate the mass of a constituent particles. atom is less than the sum of its

8.

Based on our subshell model: a) How many peaks would you expect for the photoelectron spectrum of lithium?

b)

What would you expect the relative heights of the peaks to be?

c)

The ionisation energies for H, He and Li are 1.31, 2.37 and 6.26 MJ mol1 respectively. Explain this trend.

d)

The rst ionisation energies for H and Li are 1.31 and 0.52 MJ mol1 respectively. Explain why Li is lower.

9.

Repeat Exercise 8a) and b) for beryllium and carbon.

Page 11 of 12

Activity 1: Atomic structure

10.

Sketch an energy level diagram (as in Model 1.5) for beryllium and carbon.

11.

What element do you think would give rise to the photoelectron spectrum show below? Explain your reasoning.

Relative number of electrons

126

9.07

5.31

0.74

Ionisation energy (MJ mol1)

Page 12 of 12