The American University in Cairo

School of Science and Engineering

Department of Chemistry

CHEM 1005

Assignment # 1 Sunday April 5th - Wednesday April 8th Spring 2020

Please ANSWER the following five questions and SHOW your steps in details:

1- Lithium forms compounds which are used in dry cells and storage batteries and in high-
temperature lubricants. It has two naturally occurring isotopes, 6Li (isotopic mass =
6.015121 amu) and 7Li (isotopic mass = 7.016003 amu). Lithium has an atomic mass of
6.9409 amu. What is the percent abundance of lithium-6?

Solution:
Assume the percent abundance of 6Li is “X%”, and that of 7Li is “(100-X)%”
Atomic mass = Σ (Mass of 6Li)( 6Li %) + (Mass of 7Li)( 7Li %)
100−X
6.9409 = (6.015121)(X/100) + (7.016003)( )
100

6.9409 = 0.060151X − 0.07016X + 7.016003

6.9409 = −0.010009X + 7.016003
−0.075103 = −0.010009X
X = 7.503682 = 7.5037 (5 significant figures)
Another Solution:
Assume the percent abundance of 6Li is “X”, and that of 7Li is “(1-X)”
Atomic mass = Σ (Mass of 6Li)( 6Li %) + (Mass of 7Li)( 7Li %)
6.9409 = (6.015121)(X) + (7.016003)(1-X)
6.9409 = 6.015121X + 7.016003 −7.016003X
6.9409 = −1.000882X + 7.016003
−0.075103 = −1.000882X
X = 0.075037 = 7.5037/100
Percent abundance of 6Li is 7.5037%
2- Use the Rydberg equation to calculate the frequency of a photon absorbed when the
hydrogen atom undergoes a transition from ni = 2 to nf = 4. (R = 1.096776 × 107 m–1)

Solution:
ΔE = -hcRH [(1/nf2) - (1/ni2)] & E = h
 = -cRH [(1/nf2) - (1/ni2)]
 = -(3.00 x 108 m/s)(1.096776 × 107 m–1)[(1/16) –(1/4)]
= 6.169 x 1014 s-1

3- What is the first value of (n) in a “d” subshell? Write all possible values of (l) and (ml) of an
atom that has its outermost electrons in that “d” subshell.

Solution:
n = 3 is the first (n) value for a “d” subshell
Possible values of l and ml:
l 0 1 2
ml 0 -1, 0, 1 -2, -1, 0, 1, 2

4- a) Elements with low first ionization energies and positive or slightly negative electron
affinities generally form cations.
b) Write the equation representing the second ionization energy of Iron (Fe).
Fe+ Fe2+ + e-
c) Write the detailed electron configuration of Fe2+ ion. Do not use noble gas configuration.
Fe2+ has 24 electrons (2 electrons lost from 4s subshell)
1s22s22p63s23p63d6
d) Write the detailed electron configuration of Copper atom (Cu). Do not use noble gas
configuration.
Cu has 29 electrons
1s22s22p63s23p64s13d10
5- a) Briefly describe how the atomic radii and ionization energies of group 1A(1) elements
compare with those of group 8A(18). Also, explain why the values of these properties are
so different between these two groups.
Comparing elements within the same period, group 1A elements have much bigger
atomic radii and much lower ionization energies than group 8A elements.
Going from group 1A to group 8A, the increase in atomic number denotes an increase
in the number of protons in the nucleus, and the number of electrons added to the
valence shell, but the number of core electrons is the same. This results in much lower
effective nuclear charge (Zeff) in group 1A elements, resulting in decreased atomic
radii, and less attraction of the valence electrons, resulting in much lower ionization
energies than in group 8A.

b) Describe the anomalies in the trend of the ionization energy going from left to right in
Period 2 when going from Beryllium (Be) to Boron (B) and going from Nitrogen (N) to
Oxygen (O).
Ionization energy increases from left to right within a period.

Electron configuration of Be: 1s22s2

The electron to be removed resides in a 2s subshell.
Electron configuration of B: 1s22s22p1
The electron to be removed resides in a 2p subshell. Since p orbitals have higher
energy than s orbitals within the same principal shell, then this electron is already at
a relatively higher energy state, and will require less ionization energy than Be to be
removed from the atom, opposite to the trend.

Electron configuration of N: 1s22s22p3

The electron to be removed occupies a half-filled p subshell, i.e., lower energy state.
Electron configuration of O: 1s22s22p4
The electron to be removed is paired with another electron in the p orbital, so it is
already at a higher energy state, thus requires less ionization energy than N to be
removed from the atom, opposite to the trend.