O Level Cambridge Chemistry 2 hours 16 questions
Theory Questions
2.2 Atomic Structure
& the Periodic Table
Atomic Structure / Electronic Configuration
Easy (4 questions) /26 Scan here to return to the course
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Medium (7 questions) /45
Hard (5 questions) /47
Total Marks /118
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Easy Questions
Complete the following table which gives the number of protons, electrons and neutrons
in each of the five particles.
1
number of number of
particle number of protons
electrons neutrons
(K) Potassium 19 19 20
56
26
Fe 26 26 30
Li + 3 2 4
70
31
Ga 3+ 31 28 39
Se -2 34 36 45
(8 marks)
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2 (a) Define the term isotope.
Isotopes are the same kind of element but the difference is that their neutron number and atomic
mass different
(2 marks)
(b) The table gives information about four particles, A, B, C and D.
Complete the table.
The first line has been done for you.
number of number of number of nucleon symbol or
particle
protons electrons neutrons number formula
A 6 6 6 12 C
B 11 10 12 23 Na-
C 8 6 8 16 O2-
D 16 10 15 28 Al3+
(7 marks)
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3 (a) Magnesium, calcium and strontium are Group II elements.
Complete Table 3.1 to show the electronic configuration of a calcium atom.
Table 3.1
shell 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
number of electrons 2 8 8 2
(1 mark)
(b) Describe how the electronic configuration of a strontium atom is similar to the electronic
configuration of a calcium atom.
Strontium and Calcium are similar in that they both have two electrons in their outermost,
(1 mark)
or valence,
electron shell.
(c) Describe how the electronic configuration of a strontium atom is different from the
electronic configuration of a calcium atom.
They differ in the total number of electron shells, with Calcium having four and Strontium having more than four.
(1 mark)
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4 (a) Complete the table to show the relative charge and approximate relative mass of a
proton, a neutron and an electron.
type of particle relative charge approximate relative mass
proton +1 1
neutron 0 1
electron −1 0.0005
(4 marks)
(b) Deduce the number of electrons and neutrons in an atom of the isotope of potassium
shown.
41 K
19
number of electrons: 19
number of neutrons: 22
(2 marks)
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Medium Questions
1 (a) The table gives the composition of three particles.
number of number of number of
particle
protons electrons neutrons
A 15 15 16
B 15 15 16
C 15 15 17
What is the evidence in the table for each of the following?
i) Particle A is an atom.
Particle A is an atom of Phosphorus which has an atomic no. of 15 and atomic
mass of 31. [1]
ii) A, B and C are all particles of the same element.
We can tell that by the atomic no. which is 15 for all of them.
[1]
iii) Particles A and C are isotopes of the same element.
Particle C has the no. of neutrons different which is evidence that it is an isotope of Phosphorus
[2]
Particle A is not an isotope because it has neutron no. of 16
(4 marks)
(b) i) What is the electronic structure of particle A?
2, 8, 5 [1]
ii) Is element A, a metal or a non-metal? Give a reason for your choice.
It is a non-metal. It has a low boiling and melting point and it is not easily bent or shaped [1]
like how a metal would.
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(2 marks)
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2 (a) i) Define the term atomic number.
The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom is called the proton number or atomic [1]
number.
ii) Define the term nucleon number.
[2]
It is the total number of protons and electrons.
(3 marks)
(b) The table shows the number of protons, neutrons and electrons in some atoms or ions.
Complete the table. The first line is given as an example.
number of number of number of symbol or
particle
protons electrons neutrons formula
12
A 6 6 6 6
C
12
B 12 12 12 Mg
24
16 2−
C 8 10
8
8
O
D 11 10 13 Na+
(5 marks)
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3 (a) The table below gives information about particles.
Complete the table. The first line has been done for you.
number of number of electronic charge on
particle
protons electrons configuration particle
A 12 10 2,8 2+
B 17 18 2,8,8 1-
C 18 18 2,8,8 0
D 8 10 2,8 -2
(4 marks)
(b) Gallium is a Group III element.
Define the term element.
An element is made up of only kind of atom and it is unsplittable.
(1 mark)
(c) The following are gallium atoms.
69 71
31
Ga 31
Ga
Complete the following table.
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number of number of number of
atom
protons neutrons electrons
69
31
Ga 31 38 31
71
31
Ga 31 40 31
(3 marks)
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4 (a) The table below gives the composition of six particles which are either atoms or ions.
Particle number of protons number of neutrons number of electrons
A 33 40 33
B 19 20 18
C 34 45 36
D 33 42 33
E 13 14 13
F 24 28 21
Which particles are atoms? Explain your choice.
(2 marks)
(b) Which particle is a negative ion and why has this particle got a negative charge?
(2 marks)
(c) Which particles are positive ions?
(1 mark)
(d) Explain why particle A and particle D are isotopes.
(2 marks)
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5 (a) Figure 1.1 shows the electronic configurations of five atoms, A, B, C, D and E.
Figure 1.1
Each letter may be used once, more than once or not at all.
Give the letter of the atom, A, B, C, D or E, that is in Group III of the Periodic Table.
(1 mark)
(b) Give the letter of the atom, A, B, C, D or E, that has 13 protons.
(1 mark)
(c) Give the letter of the atom, A, B, C, D or E, that is a noble gas.
(1 mark)
(d) Give the letter of the atom, A, B, C, D or E, that forms a stable ion with a single negative
charge.
(1 mark)
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6 (a) Sulfuric acid is a compound.
Define the term compound.
(1 mark)
(b) Complete Table 2.1 to show the number of electrons, neutrons and protons in the
sulfur atom and oxide ion.
Table 2.1
number of electrons number of neutrons number of protons
34
16
S 16
18 2−
8
O 10
(3 marks)
(c) Complete Figure 2.2 to show the electronic configuration of a potassium ion.
Figure 2.2
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(1 mark)
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7 (a) Atoms and ions contain protons, neutrons and electrons.
Complete Table 2.1.
Table 2.1
relative charge relative mass
proton +1
neutron 1
electron
(3 marks)
(b) Table 2.2 shows some information about six particles.
Table 2.2
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particle number of protons number of neutrons number of electrons
A 37 48 37
B 53 74 54
C 92 143 92
D 92 143 89
E 92 146 92
F 94 150 92
i) Deduce the nucleon number for particle A.
[1]
ii) Explain why particle B is a negative ion.
[1]
iii) Identify two atoms that are isotopes of the same element.
Explain your answer.
[2]
(4 marks)
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Hard Questions
1 (a) The symbols of six particles are shown below.
Na+ Ca2+ Kr P Si O2-
Select from the list of particles to answer the following questions. A particle may be
selected once, more than once or not at all.
i) Which two ions have the same electronic structure?
[1]
ii) Which ion has the same electronic structure as an atom of argon?
[1]
iii) Which atom can form an ion of the type X3–?
[1]
iv) Which atom can form a hydride which has a formula of the type XH4?
[1]
(4 marks)
(b) i) How many protons, neutrons and electrons are there in one copper(II) ion 64
29
Cu 2+
[2]
ii) 45
21
Sc represents an atom of scandium.
How many nucleons and how many charged particles are there in one atom of
scandium?
[2]
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(4 marks)
(c) Two different atoms of sodium are 23
11
Na and 24
11
Na .
i) Explain why these two atoms are isotopes.
[2]
ii) 24
11
Na is radioactive. It changes into an atom of a different element which has one
more proton.
Identify this element.
[1]
(3 marks)
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2 (a) The table gives the composition of three particles.
particle number of protons number of electrons number of neutrons
A 15 15 16
B 15 18 16
C 15 15 17
What is the evidence in the table for each of the following?
i) Particle A is an atom.
[1]
ii) They are all particles of the same element.
[1]
iii) Particle B is a negative ion.
[2]
iv) Particles A and C are isotopes.
[2]
(6 marks)
(b) i) What is the electronic structure of particle A?
[1]
ii) What is the valency of the element?
[1]
iii) Is the element a metal or a non-metal? Give a reason for your choice.
[1]
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(3 marks)
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3 (a) Complete the table which gives the names, symbols, relative masses and relative charges
of the three subatomic particles.
name symbol relative mass relative charge
electron
proton 1
n 0
(3 marks)
(b) Use the information in the table to explain the following.
i) Atoms contain charged particles but they are electrically neutral because they have
no overall charge.
[2]
ii) Atoms can form positive ions.
[2]
iii) Atoms of the same element can have different masses.
[2]
iv) Scientists are certain that there are no undiscovered elements missing from the
Periodic Table from hydrogen to lawrencium.
[1]
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(7 marks)
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4 (a) The table below gives the number of protons, neutrons and electrons in atoms or ions.
number of number of number of symbol or
particle
protons electrons neutrons formula
19 −
A 9 10 10 9
F
B 11 11 12
C 18 18 22
D 15 18 16
E 13 10 14
Complete the table. The first line is given as an example.
(6 marks)
(b) Which atom in the table is an isotope of the atom which has the composition 11p, 11e
and 14n?
Give a reason for your choice.
(2 marks)
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5 (a) This question is concerned with the elements in Period 5, Rb to Xe.
The electron distributions of some of these elements are given in the following list.
element A 2 + 8 + 18 + 10
element B 2 + 8 + 18 + 18 + 8
element C 2 + 8 + 18 + 18 + 5
element D 2 + 8 + 18 + 18 + 6
element E 2 + 8 + 18 + 18 + 4
element F 2 + 8 + 18 + 18 + 7
i) Identify element C.
[1]
ii) Which element in the list does not form any compounds?
[1]
iii) Which element in the list forms a chloride of the type XCl2?
[1]
iv) Which two elements would react together to form a compound of the type XY4?
[1]
v) Which element in the list would react with cold water to form an alkaline solution
and hydrogen?
[1]
(5 marks)
(b) Predict two differences in physical properties and two differences in chemical properties
between rubidium and the transition metal niobium.
physical .............................................................................................
chemical ............................................................................................
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(4 marks)
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