C1.8 - R* Electronic structures

Question 1

Shells

Answer 1

Shells are an area in an atom, around its nucleus, where electrons are found

Question 2

What does each shell in the model of the atom that we use at GCSE level represent?

Answer 2

Each shell in the model of the atom that we use at GCSE level represents a different energy level

Question 3

Where is the lowest energy level?

Answer 3

The lowest energy level is the shell that is nearest the nucleus

Question 4

What do the electrons in an atom occupy?

Answer 4

The electrons in an atom occupy the lowest available energy level (the available shell closest to the nucleus)

Question 5

The number of electrons each shell can hold

Answer 5

The number of electrons each shell can hold is 2, 8, 8, 8

Question 6

Electronic structure

Answer 6

Electronic structure is a set of numbers to show the arrangement of electrons in their:
1. Shells
Or,
2. Energy levels

Question 7

If you look at the elements in any 1 of the main groups of the periodic table, their atoms all will have what?

Answer 7

If you look at the elements in any 1 of the main groups of the periodic table, their atoms all will have the same number of electrons in their highest energy level (outer electrons)

Question 8

What do the chemical properties of an element depend on?

Answer 8

The chemical properties of an element depend on how many electrons it has

Question 9

What is the way an element reacts determined by?

Answer 9

The way an element reacts is determined by the number of electrons in its highest energy level (or outermost shell)

Question 10

Why do elements in a particular group react in a similar way?

Answer 10

Elements in a particular group react in a similar way, because they all have the same number of electrons in their highest energy level (outermost shell)

Question 11

What are the elements in group 0 of the periodic table called?

Answer 11

The elements in group 0 of the periodic table are called the noble gases

Question 12

Noble gases

Answer 12

The noble gases are the very unreactive gases found in Group 0 of the periodic table

Question 13

Electrons always what?

Answer 13

Electrons always occupy shells (sometimes called energy levels)

Question 14

Electrons always occupy shells (sometimes called energy levels).
Which are always filled first?

Answer 14

The lowest energy levels are always filled first

These are the ones closest to the nucleus

Question 15

Only a certain number of electrons are allowed in each shell.
How many electrons are allowed in the 1st shell?

Answer 15

2 electrons are allowed in the 1st shell

Question 16

Only a certain number of electrons are allowed in each shell.
How many electrons are allowed in the 2nd shell?

Answer 16

8 electrons are allowed in the 2nd shell

Question 17

Only a certain number of electrons are allowed in each shell.
How many electrons are allowed in the 3rd shell?

Answer 17

8 electrons are allowed in the 3rd shell

Question 18

What do atoms want?

Answer 18

Atoms want to:

1. Have full electron shells
2. Be stable

Question 19

Atoms want to have full electron shells and be stable, like the noble gases in group 0.
However, in most atoms, what happens?

Answer 19

In most atoms, the outer shell is not full

Question 20

The noble gases are the very unreactive gases found in Group 0 of the periodic table.
Their atoms all have very what?

Answer 20

Their atoms all have very stable arrangement of electrons with 8 electrons in their outer shells

Question 21

The noble gases are the very unreactive gases found in Group 0 of the periodic table.
Their atoms all have very stable arrangement of electrons with 8 electrons in their outer shells, except for what?

Answer 21

Their atoms all have very stable arrangement of electrons with 8 electrons in their outer shells, except for helium which has 2 electrons in its outer shell

Question 22

Atoms want to have full electron shells and be stable, like what?

Answer 22

Atoms want to:
1. Have full electron shells
2. Be stable
,like the noble gases in group 0

Question 23

Atoms want to have full electron shells and be stable, like the noble gases in group 0.
However, in most atoms, the outer shell is not full and this makes the atom want to what?

Answer 23

In most atoms, the outer shell is not full and this makes the atom want to react to fill it