Topic 1 - Atomic structure Flashcards
(71 cards)
Flame spectrometry
Flame spectrometry is a method that allows the determination of the elemental composition of a sample by analysis of the emission spectra that are produced after heating a sample.
Emission spectra
- Emission spectra are produced when electrons are excited
- They absorb energy to move from a lower energy level, such as the ground state, to a higher energy level.
- When the electrons move back to a lower energy level they release a ‘quantum’ of energy (fixed amount) in the form of light of a specific frequency. This light is one line of an emission spectrum.
- This provides evidence that electrons are in shells, rather than moving randomly moving anywhere around an atom.
- The distance moved is proportional to the FREQUENCY of light.
- Short distance moved, low frequency, longer wavelength

Ionisation energy
- Ionisation energy is a measure of the amount of energy needed to remove electrons from atoms to form positively charged ions
- They represent an oxidation reaction as the species on the left of the arrow loses an electron
- Positively charged ions are always formed
Explain why the ionisation energy is always endothermic
- As electrons are negatively charged and protons in the nucleus are positively charged, there will be an attraction between them.
- The closer the electron is to the nucleus, the greater the electrostatic attraction and the more energy is required to overcome this attraction.
1st ionisation energy of sodium definition
The energy required to remove ONE MOLE of electrons (to infinity) from ONE MOLE of gaseous atoms to form ONE MOLE of gaseous sodium 1+ ions.
Na (g) → Na+ (g) + e-
2nd ionisation energy of sodium definition
The energy required to remove ONE MOLE of electrons (to infinity) from ONE MOLE of gaseous sodium +1 ions to form ONE MOLE of gaseous sodium +2 ions.
Na+ (g) → Na2+ (g) + e-
3rd ionisation energy of sodium
The energy required to remove ONE MOLE of electrons (to infinity) from ONE MOLE of gaseous sodium +2 ions to form ONE MOLE of gaseous sodium +3 ions.
Na2+ (g) → Na3+ (g) + e-
What energy change is represented by this equation?
Ca+ (g) → Ca2+ (g) + e-
The second ionisation energy of calcium
What energy change is represented by this equation?
Ca (g) → Ca2+ (g) + e-
The first AND second ionisation energy of calcium
Factors that affect the ionisation energy
- Number of electron shells (electron shielding)
- Atomic or ionic radius
- The number of electrons within a shell
- Number of protons in the nucleus
- More shells = smaller I.E. More electron repulsion
- Larger radius = smaller I.E. Greater distance between the nucleus and outer electron, less electrostatic attraction
- More electrons within a shell (e.g. a lone pair). Smaller I.E. as there is repulsion
Effective nuclear charge definition
The effective nuclear charge is the net positive charge experienced by an electron in a polyelectronic atom (atom with more than one electron).

Trend in effective nuclear charge across a period
Effective nuclear charge increases left to right across a period for electrons in the same shell as there are more protons in the nucleus and the number of shells remains constant.
Effective nuclear charge decreases as electrons are removed from shells further away from the nucleus as there is more electron shielding.
Trend in 1st ionisation energy across a period
First ionization energy increases left to right across a period:
- Number of protons increases
- Electrons are added to the same shell
- The amount of electron shielding stays the same
- Thus the effective nuclear charge increases
Trend in 1st ionisation energy down a group
First ionisation energy decreases going down a group:
- The atomic radius increases
- So the outer shell is further from the nucleus
- The number of shells increases
- So the electron shielding increases
- Thus the effective nuclear charge decreases
Explanation for why group 3 elements have a lower first ionisation than group 2
- The 1st ionization energy of boron is less than beryllium for period 2 and the 1st ionization energy of aluminium is less than calcium for period 3.
- Boron has the electronic configuration [He]2s22p1 and aluminium has the electronic configuration [Ne]3s23p1.
- The p subshell is a little further from the nucleus than the s subshell, so the effective nuclear charge is less than for s subshell electrons.
Explanation for why group 6 elements have a lower first ionisation than group 5
- The 1st ionization energy of oxygen is less than nitrogen for period 2 and the 1st ionization energy of sulfur is less than phosphorus for period 3.
- Oxygen has the electronic configuration [He]2s22p4 and nitrogen has the electronic configuration [He]2s22p3.
- Nitrogen has its 3 p subshell electrons in three separate orbitals. Oxygen has one of its three orbitals with a pair of electrons. They repel, lowering the 1st ionization energy.
- Phosphorus has the electronic configuration [Ne]3s23p3 and nitrogen has the electronic configuration [Ne]3s23p4
- Phosphorus has its 3 p subshell electrons in three separate orbitals. Sulfur has one of its three orbitals with a pair of electrons. They repel, lowering the 1st ionization energy.
Trend in melting points across period 3
- Melting point increases from group 1 to group 3
- Strength of metallic bonding increases from groups 1 to 3
- The ionic radius decreases
- The charge increases
- Thus, charge density increases
- More electrons delocalize per atom
- Group 4 elements form macromolecules
- With lots of strong covalent bonds
- That require a lot of thermal energy to break
- Group 5 to group 7 elements form simple molecules
- With weak intermolecular forces between the molecules
- That require little thermal energy to break
- Group 8 elements exist as single atoms, not molecules
- They do not have intermolecular forces
- They have weak interatomic forces
Metallic bonding definition
The electrostatic attraction between cations and the sea of delocalised electrons
Explanation for why magnesium has a higher melting point than sodium
- Magnesium has stronger metallic bonds than sodium
- Magnesium has a smaller atomic radius than sodium
- Magnesium has a greater charge than sodium, +2 vs +1
- Thus, charge density increases
- One more electron delocalizes per magnesium atom than sodium
- So the magnesium cations have a greater electrostatic attraction to the sea of delocalised electrons than sodium
Explanation for why aluminium has a higher melting point than magnesium
- Aluminium has stronger metallic bonds than magnesium
- Aluminium has a smaller atomic radius than magnesium
- Aluminium has a greater charge than magnesium, +3 vs +2
- Thus, charge density increases
- One more electron delocalizes per aluminium atom than magnesium
- So the aluminium cations have a greater electrostatic attraction to the sea of delocalised electrons than magnesium
Periodicity definition
Repeating trends in physical properties across a period
Group of elements with the highest 1st ionisation energy
Noble gases
Group of elements with the lowest 1st ionisation energy
Group 1 metals
Group of elements with the highest 2nd ionisation energy
Group 1 metals