STRUCTURE OF ATOM

SECTION- A (MCQ- 1 Marks)

1. Which of the following is responsible to rule out the existence of definite paths or trajectories
of electrons?
(a) Pauli’s exclusion principle. (b) Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle.
(c) Hund’s rule of maximum multiplicity. (d) Aufbau principal

2. Number of angular nodes for 4d orbital is __________.

(a) 4 (b) 3 c) 2 (d) 1

3. For which of the following sets of quantum numbers, an electron will have the highest energy?
(a) 3, 2, +1, +1/2 (b) 4, 2, -1, +1/2
(c) 4,1,0, -1/2 (d) 5,0,0, +1/2

4. Which of the following atoms or atom/ion have identical ground state configuration?
(a) Li+ and He+ (b) Cl and Ar (c)Na and K d) F+ and Ne

5. Which of the following orbitals has dumb-bell shape?

(a)s (b)p (c)d (d) f

6. The total number of orbitals in a shell having principal quantum number n is

(a) 2n (b)n2 (c)2n2 (d)n+1

7. Azimuthal quantum number defines:

(a) e/m ratio of electron (b)spin of electron
(c) angular momentum of electron (d)magnetic momentum of electron

8. Quantum numbers n=2, l=1 represent:

(a)1s orbital (b)2s orbital (c) 2p orbital (d)3d orbital

9. The quantum number m of a free gaseous atom is associated with:

(a)The effective volume of the orbital
(b) The shape of the orbital
(c)The spatial orientation of the orbital
(d)The energy of the orbital in the absence of the magnetic field.

10.Iso-electronic species are:

(a)F-, O-2 (b)F-, O (c)F-, O+ (d)F-, O+2

In the following questions, a statement of assertion is followed by a corresponding statement of reason.

Of the following statements, choose the correct one:
A. Both assertion and reason are correct statements and reason is the correct explanation of the assertion.
B. Both assertion and reason are correct statements and reason is not the correct explanation of the
assertion.
C. Assertion is correct, but reason is incorrect statement.
D. Assertion is incorrect, but reason is correct statement.
11. Assertion: Both position and momentum of an electron cannot be determined simultaneously with
maximum accuracy.
Reason: The path of an electron in an atom is clearly defined.

12. Assertion: Electronic configuration of helium is 1S2.

Reason: Hund’s rule demands that the configuration should display maximum stability.

13. A: An orbital cannot have more than 2 electrons and their spin must be opposite.
R: No two electrons in an atom can have same set of all four quantum numbers.

14. A: The energy of an electron is mainly determined by principal quantum number.

R: The principal quantum number is the measure of the most probable distance of finding the electron
around the nucleus.

15. The correct order of increasing energy of atomic orbital is:

(a)5p<4f<6s<5d (b)5p<6s<4f<5d (c)4f<5p<5d<6s (d)5p<5d<4f<6s

ANSWERS - Section - A
1. B
2. C
3. B
4. B
5. B
6. B
7. c
8. C
9. C
10. a
11. c
12. b
13. a
14. a
15. b

SECTION-B Short answer questions - (2 marks)

1. What is the physical significance of Ψ2?
2. Which orbital is non directional?
3. Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle has no significance in our everyday life. Explain.
4. Out of 3d and 4s orbitals which is filled first?
5. How many electrons can be filled in all the orbitals with n+l=5?
6. Which one of the following electronic configurations is correct for chromium?
a) [Ar] 4s23d4 or b) [Ar]4s13d5? Justify your answer.
7. Explain Pauli’s exclusion principle with an example.
8. Designate the orbitals using s, p, d and f notations which are applicable: a) n=4, l=2 b) n=5, l=1.
9. Calculate the total number of angular nodes and radial nodes present in 3p orbitals.
10. (a)What is the lowest value of n that allows g orbitals to exist?
(b)An electron is in one of the 3d orbitals, Give the possible values of n, l and ml for this electron.
 ANSWERS
1. Ψ2 represents the probability of finding an electron. It is the probability of finding a particle
specified by a particular wave function.
2. S- orbital is spherically symmetrical i.e. it is non-directional. It has a spherical shape, like a hollow
ball.
3. In our daily life we can see only the moving macro and semi-micro-object’s. The mass of the
striking photons of light are too small to cause any shift in their position by the time the reflected photons
form the image of the object. For such particles, there is no problem in measuring the exact momentum
simultaneously. Thus, the principle has no relevance for such objects.
4. 4s orbital is filled first because it has lower energy. The energies of the orbitals can be compared
by their n+l values. For 4s orbital n+l (4+0) value is 4 while for 3d orbital, n+l (3+2) value is 5, Therefore
4s orbital is filled before3d orbital.
5. (n+l) =5 has 5s,4p and 3d orbitals with two, six and ten electrons respectively. Therefore, the total
number of electrons=18.
6. b) Ar]4s13d5is correct as half-filled orbitals are more stable than nearly half-filled orbitals due to
exchange energy and more symmetry.
7. Pauli’s exclusion principle: No two electrons can have all the four quantum numbers same.
Example: For Helium the three quantum numbers are same but fourth quantum number (spin quantum
number) is different. E.C. of He: 1s2
For 1st electron, n=1, l=0, m=0 and s=+1/2.
For 2nd electron n=1, l=0, m=0 and s= -1/2.
8. a) 4d b) 5p.
9. For 3p orbitals, n=3, l= 1
Number of angular nodes = l= 1
Number of radial nodes = n-l-1 = 3-1-1= 1.
10. (a) minimum value of n= 5
b) n=3, l=2, ml = -2, -1, 0, +1, +2.

SECTION-C, Short answer questions - (3 marks)

1. Which of the followings are iso-electronic species, i.e. those having the same number of electrons?
Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, S2–, Ar.
2. What is the uncertainty in locating its position? [Given, me = 9.11 × 10–31 kg] An electron speed
of 40 ms–1 accurate up to 99.9 percent.
3. Write the significance (one point) of each of the following:
a) Principal quantum number b) Azimuthal quantum number c) Magnetic quantum number.
4. State the following:
a) Aufbau principle, b) Hund’s rule of maximum multiplicity c) Heisenberg Uncertainty principle.
5. Write the 3 points of difference between orbit and orbital.
6. An atom of an element contains 29 electrons and 35 neutrons.
Deduce (i)the number of protons and (ii) the electronic configuration of the element (iii) Identify the
element.
7. Table-tennis ball has a mass 10 g and a speed of 90 m/s. If speed can be measured within an
accuracy of 4%, what will be the uncertainty in speed and position?
8. (i) An atomic orbital has n = 3. What are the possible values of l and ml?
(ii) List the quantum numbers ml and l of electron in 3rd orbital.
(iii) Which of the following orbitals are possible?
1p, 2s, 2p and 3f.
9. The quantum numbers of six electrons are given below. Arrange them in order of increasing
energies. List if any of these combination(s) has/have the same energy
(i) n = 4, l = 2, ml = -2, ms = -1/2 (ii) n = 3, l = 2, ml = 1, ms = +1/2
(iii) n = 4, l = 1, ml = 0, ms = +1/2 (iv) n = 3, l = 2, ml = -2, ms = -111
(v) n = 3, l = l, ml = -1, ms = +1/2 (vi) n = 4, l = 1, ml = 0, ms = +1/2
10. Among the following pairs of orbitals, which orbital will experience more effective nuclear
charge (i) 2s and 3s (ii) 4d and 4f (iii) 3d and 3p?

ANSWERS
1. Na+(11 – 1 = 10), Mg2+ (12 – 2 = 10) have same number of electrons.
K+(19 – 1 = 18), Ca2+ (20 – 2 = 18), S2– (16 + 2 = 18), Ar (18) are iso-electronic, i.e. they have
same number of electrons.
2. Δx = 0.0144 m.
3. Significance of principal Quantum number(n): The principal quantum number determines the size
and to large extent the energy of the orbital. It also identifies the shell.
Significance of azimuthal Quantum number(l): It defines the 3-dimensional shape of the orbital.
Significance of magnetic Quantum number(m): It gives information about the spatial orientation of the
orbital with respect to standard set of co-ordinate axis.
4. a) Aufbau principle: In the ground state of the atoms, the orbitals are filled with electrons in order
of their increasing energies. It means the lower energy orbitals are filled first followed by higher energy
orbitals.
b) Hund’s rule of maximum multiplicity: In the orbitals like p, d, f etc which have degenerate states, the
pairing of electrons takes place after all the orbitals getting singly filled.
c) Heisenberg Uncertainty principle: It is impossible to determine simultaneously the exact position and
exact momentum or velocity of subatomic particles like electrons.

5.
6. (i)For an atom to be neutral, the number of protons is equal to the number of electrons.
∴ Number of protons in the atom of the given element = 29
(ii) The electronic configuration of the atom is 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d10
(iii) Copper.