Electronic structure

Question 1

What is an orbital ?

Answer 1

a region within an atom that can hold up to 2 electrons, with opposite spins

Question 2

What is the shape of an s-orbital ?

Answer 2

a sphere

Question 3

What is the shape of a p-orbital ?

Answer 3

a 3D dumbbell

Question 4

How many electrons are in
a. the first shell
b. the second shell
c. the third shell
d. the fourth shell

Answer 4

a. 2
b. 8
c. 18
d. 32

Question 5

What is a sub-shell ?

Answer 5

a group of the same type of atomic orbitals within a shell

Question 6

What is electron configuration ?

Answer 6

the arrangement of electrons in an atom

Question 7

What order do orbitals get filled in

Question 8

Why does the 4s sub shell fill before the 3d sub shell ?

Answer 8

when they are both empty, the 4s sub shell has less energy than the 3d sub shell, so it fills first

Question 9

Why does the 4s sub shell empty before the 3d sub shell ?

Answer 9

when they are both full, the 4s sub shell has more energy that the 3d sub shell, so it empties first

Question 10

What are the two exceptions to the 3d subshell ?

Answer 10

chromium and copper

Question 11

What is the electronic configuration of a chromium atom ?

Answer 11

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 3d5

Question 12

What is the electronic configuration of a copper atom ?

Answer 12

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 3d10