A LevelChemistryCambridge (CIE)Exam Questions1. Atomic StructureElectrons, Energy Levels & Atomic Orbitals

Electrons, Energy Levels & Atomic Orbitals (Cambridge (CIE) A Level Chemistry): Exam Questions

Exam code: 9701

45 mins17 questions

Select a download format for Electrons, Energy Levels & Atomic Orbitals

Scroll for more

Select an answer set to view for
Electrons, Energy Levels & Atomic Orbitals

Easy
Medium
Hard
1
1 mark

Which statement describes a free radical?

  • A species with a lone pair of electrons

  • A species formed by heterolytic bond fission

  • A species with one or more unpaired electrons

  • A species that acts as an electron pair acceptor

Choose your answer

2
1 mark

What is the correct order of increasing radius (smallest to largest)?

Smallest

Largest

A

Mg2+

O2-

Ne

B

Ne

O2-

Mg2+

C

Mg2+

Ne

O2-

D

O2-

Ne

Mg2+

    Choose your answer

    3
    1 mark

    Which element has a completely filled outermost subshell?

    • Al

    • Cl

    • Mg

    • Si

    Choose your answer

    1
    1 mark

    An atom of element Z has six unpaired electrons. What could be the identity of Z?

    • carbon

    • chromium

    • iron

    • sulfur

    Choose your answer

    2
    1 mark

    The diagram shows three atomic orbitals, labelled 1, 2 and 3.

    Diagram showing three atomic orbitals labelled 1, 2 and 3: orbital 1 is spherical, orbitals 2 and 3 are dumbbell-shaped aligned along different perpendicular axes

    Which row gives the correct label for each orbital?

    1

    2

    3

    A

    px

    py

    pz

    B

    s

    pz

    py

    C

    s

    px

    pz

    D

    s

    px

    py

      Choose your answer

      3
      1 mark

      An ion has a single negative charge and a proton number of 17. What is the electronic configuration of this ion?

      • 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4

      • 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p5

      • 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6

      • 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1

      Choose your answer

      4
      1 mark

      What is the correct sequence for four subshells of a vanadium atom in order of decreasing energy according to the Aufbau principle?

      • 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d

      • 4s, 3d, 3s, 3p

      • 4s, 3d, 3p, 3s

      • 3d, 4s, 3p, 3s

      Choose your answer

      5
      1 mark

      An ion has a single negative charge and a proton number of 35. What is the electronic configuration of this ion?

      • 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p4

      • 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p5

      • 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6

      • 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 5s1

      Choose your answer

      1
      1 mark

      Which species produces a half-filled p subshell when one electron is removed?

      • F

      • Li+

      • N

      • N-

      Choose your answer

      2
      1 mark

      Which statement explains why electrons pair up in a lower energy orbital rather than occupying a higher energy orbital?

      • The energy required to overcome spin-pair repulsion is greater than the energy difference between the orbitals.

      • The energy required to overcome spin-pair repulsion is less than the energy difference between the orbitals.

      • Electrons in the same orbital experience no spin-pair repulsion when their spins are parallel.

      • Electrons in the same orbital experience less repulsion than electrons in separate orbitals of the same subshell.

      Choose your answer

      3
      1 mark

      Which ion has the electronic configuration [Ar]3d3?

      • Cr+

      • Ti2+

      • V2+

      • V3+

      Choose your answer

      4
      1 mark

      Which atom has the same number of electrons in its outermost occupied subshell as the number of d electrons in a Cr3+ ion?

      • aluminium

      • gallium

      • phosphorus

      • vanadium

      Choose your answer