SK017

Past Year Examination Questions Unit 3

Unit 3: Atomic Structure

Bohr’s Atomic Model & Line Spectrum

Jan 99

1. What conclusion did Bohr draw in his atomic model to explain the line spectrum of hydrogen?

2. The Brackett series of the spectral line of atomic hydrogen appears in the infrared region. The
wavelength for the third line in Brackett series is 2166 nm.
i. Why the hydrogen atomic spectrum is in the form of lines?
ii. Explain how the third line of the Brackett series is formed.
iii. Calculate the energy involved to form the third line in the Brackett series.
<9.18X10−20>

Jun 99

3. The frequencies for the five lines in the Balmer series of the atomic hydrogen line emission
spectrum are as follows:
{4.57, 6.17, 7.31, 7.55 and 7.71 } ( x 1014 Hz)

i. Copy the following diagram of energy levels and draw arrows to show the transitions of
electron of hydrogen atom which correspond to the given frequency values.
ii. Calculate the wavelength of the third line in the Balmer Series. <434nm>

n=8
n=7

n=6

n=5

n=4

n=3

n=2

n=1

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Past Year Examination Questions Unit 3

Jun 00

4. State two main postulates from Bohr’s Atomic Theory and explain its main inadequacies.
State the de Broglie’s postulate and Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, and give their
corresponding equations.

5. Explain the differences between Lyman series and Balmer series in an emission spectrum.

Jan 00

6. Calculate the energy required to promote an electron from the first orbit to the third orbit of a
hydrogen atom. <1.94X10-18>

7 What is meant by ionisation energy of hydrogen? Explain briefly how the ionisation energy of
hydrogen can be obtained from the spectral line of atomic hydrogen. Calculate the ionisation
energy of hydrogen in kJ mol−1. <1312>

UPS 01

8. An electron of a hydrogen atom is excited to the energy level n=5 and drops to a lower level
energy forming Paschen series.
i. State the energy level whereby the electron ‘dropped back’.
<n=3>
ii. Calculate the energy of the electron at the excited level. <−8.72x10−20>
iii. Calculate the energy emitted as a result of the transition. <1.55x10−19>

9. Copy the following energy levels diagram and show the transitions of electrons that account for
the formation of the first, second and third line in the emission spectrum of hydrogen atom.

Energy

a) Calculate the energy involved when the electron transits from the fourth
orbit in order to form Balmer series.
<4.09x10−19>
b) State whether the energy is absorbed or released for this particular transition. Explain.

Aug 01

10. Calculate the wavelength of the third line in the Lyman series of hydrogen spectrum. <97.2 nm>
Determine the ionisation energy for 1 mole of hydrogen. <1312>

Aug 02

11. One of the lines in the atomic hydrogen line emission spectrum falls in the visible light region
and has a wavelength of 410.2 nm.

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Past Year Examination Questions Unit 3
i. Explain the meaning of line spectrum.
ii. Give the name for this spectrum series.
iii. Determine the transition of the electron involved.

UPS Jun 02

12. One of the lines in the Balmer series of the atomic hydrogen emission spectrum has a
wavelength of 486.2 nm.
From which energy level does it drop from to give rise to this particular line?

MST Jun 03

13. a) State de Broglie’s postulates and Heisenberg Uncertainty principle.

b) When a hydrogen atom absorbs energy, its electron is promoted to the 5th orbit. A line
spectral is formed in the visible region resulting from the transition of the electron to a
lower energy orbit.
Calculate the wavelength and energy of the emitted photon.

Sept 03

14. Explain the formation of line spectrum in the Balmer series of hydrogen atom.
If the emitted photon has a wavelength of 434 nm, determine the transition of the electron that
occurs.
Calculate the energy of the line with the lowest energy in the Balmer series in kJ mol−1.
<1.82x102>

MST Jul 04

15. a) Describe a continuous spectrum and explain how it differs from an atomic spectrum.
b) Briefly describe what would occur when an electron in a hydrogen atom falls from an
orbital to another with a lower energy.
c) If the electron of a hydrogen atom had initially been in its 6th Bohr’s orbit, determine the
frequency of the electromagnetic radiation emitted if it forms a line spectral in the
Paschen series.

Oct 04

14. Explain why an atomic emission spectrum consists of series of lines.

MST Jul 05

15. An electron of a hydrogen atom is excited to an energy level of n=7 and falls to a lower energy
level to produce Paschen series.
i. State the energy level to which the electron falls.
ii. Calculate the energy of the electron in the excited state.

Oct 05

16. Figure below shows the line spectrum of hydrogen atom in the visible region.

red blue 14 indigo violet

 SK017
Past Year Examination Questions Unit 3

Frequency
i. Draw the energy levels in a hydrogen atom.
ii. Show the electron transitions which produce the above lines.
iii. Give the name of this particular series of lines.

MST July 06

17. i. Calculate the wavelength and frequency of the light that forms the third line of the Brackett
series.

ii. Calculate the energy of an electron at its excited state before it drops to produce the second
line of the Balmer series.

MST July 07

18. (a) Give the difference between a line spectrum and a continuous spectrum.

(b) An electron of a hydrogen atom is excited to the energy level n = 4 and drops to a lower
energy level to form a line in the Balmer series.
i. Calculate the energy of the electron at the energy level n = 4.
ii. Determine the wavelength of this transition.

Oct 07

19. State the success and failure of Bohr`s atomic model.

Calculate the wavelength for a spectral line produced when an electron falls from n = 5 to n = 3.
Name the series and state the region of electromagnetic spectrum for the line.

Quantum Mechanics Model

Jan 99

1. a. With suitable examples, explain the meaning of the Pauli exclusion principle, Hund’s rule
and Aufbau principle.
b. What is the meaning of orbital?
c. Write the electronic configuration for 24Cr. Sketch the shape of the electron occupied
orbital in the outmost shell and describe its set of quantum numbers.

Jun 99

2. Draw the shapes of py and dxy orbitals. Show the symmetry and the coordinate axes in each
orbital diagram.
State the quantum numbers for the 3dxy orbital.

3. Orbitals of an atom can be recognised through a set of four quantum numbers which
characterise the orbitals.
i. Name the four quantum numbers mentioned above and state the characters determined by
each quantum number.

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Past Year Examination Questions Unit 3
ii. Write the electronic configuration for 38Sr and give the corresponding values of all the
four quantum numbers for the electrons in the valence shell.

Jan 00

4. Explain why the following sets of quantum numbers are unacceptable in an atom.
n = 2, l = 1, m = −1, s = 1
n = 3, l = −1, m = 2, s = +1/2 (2M)

5. Given the following sets of quantum numbers for three electrons at the highest energy orbitals
for an atom J.
(3, 2, 0, - 12 ) , (3, 2, +1, − 12 ) , (3, 2, −1, − 12 )

Describe the types of orbitals designated by the above sets of quantum numbers.
Name the quantum number that determines the shape of the orbital.
Give the electronic configuration and the orbital diagram for atom J. Hence, determine its
valence shell.
If five electrons were taken away from atom J, write the electronic configuration and the orbital
diagram for the ion formed.
State the type of stability for the electronic configuration of this ion.

Jun 00

6. For a multiple-electron atom, arrange the following orbitals in order of increasing energy:
6p , 4d , 4s , 4f , 3p , 3d , 5s
(1M)

7. Write the electronic configuration in the ground state for Al and Ti+.

MST 01

8. The table below shows the elements P, Q and R with their respective proton numbers.
Element Proton number
P 16
Q 25
R 28

i. Give the electronic configuration and draw the orbital diagram for elements P and Q.
ii. What is meant by orbital?
iii. Draw the shapes of the orbitals that accommodate the valence electrons for elements
P and Q.
iv. Compare the size of the atom P, Q and R. Explain.

9. The table shows the proton numbers for five elements S, T, U, V and W.

Element Proton number

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Past Year Examination Questions Unit 3
S 7
T 8
U 9
V 11
W 13

i. State the group and period for element U and W.

ii. Pick a block-p element.
iii. Predict the oxidation number for T and W.
iv. Arrange the elements S, T, U, V and W in order of increasing atomic radius.
Explain.

Mac 01

10. Give the values of  and m for orbitals 3p and 4d.

Mac 02

11. An element N has proton number 22. Explain how Hund’s rule, Pauli exclusion principle and
Aufbau principle are used in the placement of electrons into the orbitals for N.
Draw the orbital diagrams for the four outermost electrons in element N. Hence, give the
quantum number set for all these four electrons.

MST Jul 03

12. a) Write the electronic configuration for element 27X.

b) State the four quantum numbers of the last electron being filled to the orbital according
to Aufbau principle.

MST Jul 04

13. On appropriate coordinate axes, sketch out any two orbitals of an electron characterised by the
principal quantum number of 3 and the azimuthal quantum number of 2.

14. (a) Define an orbital. Sketch the shape of the orbital dxy2-y2 and dxy
(b) State the electron configuration and orbital notation for chromium. What is the principle
used in the arrangement of electron in an orbital. (Ar Cr : 24)
(c) Calculate the wavelength and the energy of the third line in the Brackett series of the
hydrogen spectrum.
(d) State a value for n, l and m1 of an orbital in 4d sub-shell.

Oct 04

15. Copper is the ninth element in the first row of d-block of the Periodic Table.
i. Write the electronic configuration of copper according to the Aufbau principle and the
actual configuration as determined by experiments.
ii. Give reason(s) for any anomaly.
iii. Name another transition element which shows similar anomaly and write the electronic
configuration showing the anomaly.

MST Jul 05

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Past Year Examination Questions Unit 3
16. i. Define the terms orbit and orbital.
ii. Chromium is an element in d-block of the periodic table. Write the electronic
configuration of chromium. Explain the anomalous electronic configuration in chromium.
iii. Give a set of quantum numbers for an electron in 3p-orbital.

Oct 05

17. State Aufbau principle and Hund’s rule. Based on the principle and rule above, show how the
electronic configuration of element 26G is built.
Draw the dxy and dx2−y2 orbitals in 26G and the possible azimuthal and magnetic quantum
numbers for each of the orbital.

MST Jul 06

2 2
18. i. State the quantum number n , ℓ and m of the 3d x - y orbital and draw its shape.

ii. Write the electronic configuration of Mn and Mn2+ .

Oct 06

19. Write the electron configuration of iron(II) and iron(III). Determine the values of n , ℓ , m and s
for the electrons in the outermost shell in iron(III).

Compare the size of these two ions.

MST Jul 07

20. The orbitals of the first two principal energy levels of atoms are shown below.

X X X
Y Y
Y

Z Z Z
A B C
X X
Y Y

Z Z
D E

In an atom of element J, orbitals A, B and E are full of electrons while orbitals C and D are half
full.
i. State the charge of J ion. Briefly explain your answer.
ii. Write the electronic configuration of J.
iii. State the quantum number n, l and m for orbital D.

Oct 07

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Past Year Examination Questions Unit 3
21. Name the two transition elements that show anomaly in their electronic configurations.
Write the electronic configuration and explain your answer.

MST Jul 08

22. (a) Calculate the frequency and wavelength of the third line in the Balmer series of hydrogen
spectrum.

(b) Between 4s, 5f and 2d, which orbital represents impossible combinations of n and l?
Explain.

(c) Phosphorus is an element in period 3.

i. Write the electronic configuration of phosphorus.
ii. Draw its orbital diagram.
iii. How many unpaired electrons does it have?

Oct 08

23. (a) A hydrogen atom requires a minimum energy of 2.18 x 10-18 J atom-1 to remove
an electron from its ground state level. Determine whether a blue-violet light with
a wavelength of 434.0 nm can affect this process.

(b) The excited electrons of a group of irradiated hydrogen atoms are randomly scattered to n =
1, 2, 3, and 4 energy levels. Draw an energy level diagram to show all possible lines
produced when all these electrons drop to lower levels. Identify the line which has the
shortest wavelength.

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