Electronic structure and atomic structure exam questions (40)

1. Antimony, Sb, has atomic number 51. Antimony exists as a mixture of isotopes.

i. What is meant by the term isotopes?

[1]

ii. Different isotopes of antimony have the same chemical properties. Explain why.

[1]

121
iii. Complete the table below to show the atomic structure of Sb.

Protons Neutrons Electrons

[1]

2(a). This question is about the elements with atomic numbers between 58 and 70. Cerium, atomic number 58, is a
metal. Complete the table to show the relative charge of each particle and the number of each particle found in a 140Ce2+
ion.
Number of each particle present
Particle Relative charge of each particle
in a 140Ce2+ ion
proton
neutron
electron

[2]
(b). Ytterbium, atomic number 70, is the first element in the Periodic Table to have the first four shells full.

i. State the number of electrons in the fourth shell of ytterbium.

........................................................... [1]

ii. How many orbitals are there in the third shell of ytterbium?

........................................................... [1]

3. This question is about compounds of Group 3 elements. Aluminium will combine directly with fluorine. Write the
equation for the reaction between aluminium and fluorine.
[1]

4. Complete the electron configuration of a manganese atom.

1s2 ............................................................................................................................................
............. [1]

5(a). Bromine and mercury are the only two naturally occurring elements that are liquids at room temperature and
pressure. Some physical properties of these two elements are given below.

Appearance at Melting point / °C Boiling point / °C Electrical

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 conductivity of the
room temperature
liquid
Bromine dark orange liquid −7.2 58.8 very low
Mercury shiny silver liquid −38.8 356.7 good

Complete the full electron configuration of a bromine atom.

1s2 [1]

(b). Bromine and mercury react with many elements and compounds. Predict the formula of the compound formed when
bromine reacts with aluminium.
[1]

6(a). Europium, atomic number 63, has two isotopes, 151Eu and 153
Eu. Complete the table to show the number of
protons, neutrons and electrons in the 153Eu3+ ion of europium.

protons neutrons electrons

153 3+
Eu
[1]
(b). Atoms of europium have electrons in orbitals within the first five shells. The first three shells of europium are full.
Complete the table to show the number of electrons in the following regions of a europium atom.
number of electrons
the 1s sub-shell
a 3p orbital
the 3rd shell
[3]
7. Ammonia is a gas with covalently-bonded molecules consisting of nitrogen and hydrogen atoms. Show the electron
configuration of a nitrogen atom using ‘electron-in-box’ diagrams. Label each sub-shell.

[2]
8(a). This question is about electron structure and ions. Electrons occupy orbitals within an atom. The diagram below
shows an incomplete ‘electrons in boxes’ representation for the filling of orbitals in an oxygen atom. Complete the
diagram.

[1]
(b). Two elements, A and B, react to form an ionic compound with the formula A2B3. In this compound, A and B both
have the electron configuration 1s22s22p63s23p6. Deduce possible identities of the ions in A2B3.
A:

B:

[2]
9. This question looks at properties of iron compounds and iron ions in different oxidation states. Fe 2+ and Fe3+ are the
most common ions of iron.

i. Write the electron configuration, in terms of sub-shells, for the Fe2+ ion.

[1]

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 ii. How many orbitals contain an unpaired electron in an ion of Fe 2+?

[1]

10. Which element has atoms with the largest number of unpaired p-electrons?

A aluminium
B oxygen
C chlorine
D phosphorus

Your answer [1]

11(a). This question is about atomic structure. Complete the table to show the maximum number of electrons that can
occupy each shell and sub-shell. Some boxes may need to be left blank.
Sub-shell
Total number of
Shell
electrons
s p d

1st

2nd

3rd
[2]
(b). Selenium, Se, has the atomic number 34. 76Se and 82Se are two isotopes of selenium. Complete the table to show the
numbers of protons, neutrons and electrons in these two isotopes.

Protons Neutrons Electrons

76
Se ................ ................ ................
82
Se ................ ................ ................
[1]
12. Nickel and gallium are in period 4 of the periodic table.

i. Which block in the periodic table does nickel belong to?

[1]

ii. Complete the electron configuration of gallium.

1s2

[1]

13. What is the formula of chromium(III) sulfate?

A. Cr3SO4
B. Cr(SO4)3
C. Cr2(SO4)3
D. Cr3SO3

Your answer [1]

14. Information about two isotopes of an element is given in the table.
Isotope Mass number % Abundance
A 144 24
B 145 9

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Which statement is correct?

A. The relative atomic mass of the element is 47.61.

B. Isotope B has more protons than isotope A.
C. Isotope B has fewer neutrons than isotope A.
D. The relative isotopic mass of isotope B is 145.

Your answer [1]

15. What is the electron configuration for an Mg2+ ion?

A. 1s22s2
B. 1s22s22p6
C. 1s22s22p63s2
D. 1s22s22p63s23p63d4

Your answer [1]

55
16. Which row shows the atomic structure of Mn2+?

Protons Neutrons Electrons

A 25 30 23
B 25 55 23
C 27 30 25
D 30 25 28
Your answer [1]
17. X is a particle with 18 electrons and 20 neutrons. Which of the following particles could be X?
38
1: Ar
40
2: Ca2+
39
3: K+

A. 1, 2 and 3
B. Only 1 and 2
C. Only 2 and 3
D. Only 1

Your answer [1]

37
18. Which row shows the atomic structure of Cl−?
protons neutrons electrons
A 17 18 20
B 17 20 18
C 18 19 17
D 20 17 21
Your answer [1]
19. How many orbitals are occupied in a silicon atom?
A 5
B 7
C 8
D 9
Your answer [1]
20. Electron configurations for atoms of different elements are shown below. Which electron configuration represents
the element with the largest first ionisation energy?
A 1s22s2
B 1s22s22p4
C 1s22s22p6
D 1s22s22p63s2
Your answer [1]
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21. Which ion has a different number of electrons from the other three ions?
A Ca2+
B Cl−
C Ga3+
D S2−
Your answer [1]

22. Which atom is not an isotope of iodine?

Number of neutrons Mass number
A 72 125
B 74 127
C 75 128
D 77 129
Your answer [1]
23. The electron configuration of element X is: 1s22s22p63s23p4 What is the formula of a compound formed when sodium
reacts with element X?

A NaX
B NaX2
C Na2X
D Na2X3
Your answer [1]

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24. In the diagrams below, each box represents an orbital and each electron is shown as an arrow. Which diagram shows
the correct arrangement of electrons in an atom of carbon?

Your answer [1]

END OF QUESTION PAPER

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Mark scheme

Question Answer/Indicative content Marks Guidance

ALLOW for ‘atoms of an element’:

Atoms of the same element
OR
Atoms with the same number of
protons
OR
Atoms with the same atomic number

IGNORE different relative atomic

masses
IGNORE different mass number
IGNORE same number of electrons
Atom(s) of an element
DO NOT ALLOW different number of
electrons
DO NOT ALLOW ‘atoms of elements’
AND
1 i 1 for ‘atoms of an element’
DO NOT ALLOW ‘an element with
different numbers of neutrons) (ie
with different numbers of neutrons (and with
atom(s) is essential)
different masses) ✔

Examiner's Comments

This question was well answered. The

one common error made was to omit
any reference to ‘atoms’ and so
answers in terms of the same element
having different number of neutrons
received no credit. Candidates should
be advised to avoid unnecessary
references to isotopes having the same
number of electrons.

ii same number of electrons in outer shell 1

OR
same electron configuration OR electron IGNORE same number of protons
structure ✔ IGNORE same number of electrons
IGNORE they are the same element

Examiner's Comments

The key reason why isotopes show

similar chemical properties (ie because
they have an identical numbers of
electrons in the outer shell) was not
always understood. Weaker candidates
struggled and gave answers referring to
the number of protons remaining the

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 same. Even slightly improved answers
referring to the total number of
electrons remaining the same did not
deliver the required level of detail.

Examiner's Comments
iii 51p 70n 51e ✔ 1
This straightforward question saw
virtually every candidate secure this
mark.

Total 3

DO NOT ALLOW ‘+’ or ‘-’ without ‘1’

DO NOT ALLOW 1 without charge
ALLOW 1+ AND 1–
IGNORE ‘–’ (ie a dash) for relative
charge of a neutron

Examiner's Comments

2 a 2
Virtually every candidate made a good
start to the paper by securing at least
one mark of the two available. Less able
One mark per
candidates gave the mass of the sub-
column ✔ ✔
atomic particles rather than their
charge and a few gave 140 as the
number of neutrons but such errors
were a minority.

Examiner's Comments

Although there is a clear statement in

b i 32 ✔ 1
the specification that candidates should
know the number of electrons in the
first four shells many were uncertain
about how many electrons would be
found in a complete fourth shell.

ii 9✔ 1

Examiner's Comments

This question proved to be slightly more

demanding than (i). There were a range
of answers suggested where it was not
possible to see how the student had
come to that conclusion but 3 was not
an uncommon response presumably
arising from a confusion between the
number of orbitals and the number of

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 sub-shells or different types of orbital.

Total 4

ALLOW multiples
IGNORE state symbols

Examiner's Comments

Although the formula of AlF3 was not

3 2Al + 3F2 → 2AlF3 ✔ 1 given, this question was well answered.
When the mark was not awarded it was
rarely because of errors in the formula
for AlF3, but more in the ratio of the
reactants or in fluorine not being given
as diatomic. Occasionally, the symbol
for fluorine was given as Fl.

Total 1

ALLOW 4s2 3d5

IGNORE 1s2 seen twice

4 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d5 4s2 ✔ 1 Examiner's Comments

Answers proved that candidates were

familiar with electron configurations.

Total 1

5 a 1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p5 1 allow …4s23d10…

b AlBr3 1

Total 2

6 a 63 p 90 n 60 e 1

2 (1)
b 2 (1) 3
18 (1)

Total 4

7 (1) 2 allow half headed arrows

2s 2p (1)

Total 2

ALLOW unpaired electrons in last two

8 a 1
boxes pointing down.

A: Sc3+
b 2
B: S2−

Total 3

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9 i 1s22s22p63s23p63d6 1

ii 4 1

Total 2

10 D 1 AO1.2

Total 1

Total Sub-shell
numbe
Shell r of
electro s p d
ALLOW
ns
(1)s2
1st 2 2 2 (2)s2 (2)p6
11 a
AO1.1×2 (3)s2 (3)p6 (3)d10
2nd 8 2 6

DO NOT ALLOW extra numbers

3rd 18 2 6 10

1st 2 rows correct → 1 mark ✓

3rd row correct → 1 mark ✓

Protons Neutrons Electrons

76
Se 34 42 34
b 1 AO1.2
82
Se 34 48 34

ALL 6 entries correct for mark ✓

Total 3

1
12 i d-block ✓
(AO1.1)

ALLOW 4s AND/OR 4p1 before 3d,

e.g. 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d104p1

1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p1 ✓ ALLOW 1s2 after answer prompt (ie 1s2

1 twice)ALLOW upper case D, etc and
ii 2 2 6 2 6
Look carefully at 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p – there may (AO1.2) subscripts,
be a mistake e.g. …...4S23D8

DO NOT ALLOW [Ar] as shorthand for

1s22s22p63s23p6

Total 2

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13 C 1

Total 1

14 D 1

Total 1

15 B 1

Total 1

16 A 1

Total 1

17 A 1

Total 1

Examiner's Comments
18 B 1
Generally scored well.

Total 1

ALLOW 8 in box

Examiner's Comments

19 C 1
Less able candidates did not consider
that orbitals fill singularly and simply
chose B as half of 14, the number of
electrons in a silicon atom.

Total 1

Examiner's Comments
20 C 1
Many candidates did not take into
account the trend across periods, with A
being a common incorrect answer.

Total 1

21 C 1

Total 1

22 D 1

Examiner’s Comments
Questions 2, 3 and 5 were the most
successfully answered with each of
these having a success rate of over
90%.

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 Question 11 was the most difficult with
less than 50% of the candidates giving
a correct response. Many opted for
distractor B.

Total 1

Examiner’s Comments

23 C 1
Nearly all candidates responded with
the correct response of C.

Total 1

1
24 D
(AO 1.1)

Total 1

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