AP Chemistry : Elements and Atoms

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Chemistry

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Example Questions

Example Question #11 : Periodic Trends

Which of the following does not increase as one moves across a period (row) on the periodic table from left to right?

Possible Answers:
Electronegativity
Atomic radius
Effective nuclear charge (Zeff)
Ionization energy
Correct answer: Atomic radius
Explanation:

Atomic radius decreases as one moves across the periodic table from left to right, since effective nuclear charge increases and the electrons are held more tightly to the nucleus. 

Example Question #11 : Periodic Trends

Which of the following has the highest effective nuclear charge?

Possible Answers:
Na+
Na
Cl-
Cl
Correct answer: Cl
Explanation:

Effective nuclear charge increases as one moves across a period (row) from left to right, so Cl will have a higher effective nuclear charge. Anions of an element have a lower effective nuclear charge than their parent atom, since they have more electrons than protons and feel less of a pull from the protons in the nucleus. Thus, Cl will have the highest effective nuclear charge. 

Example Question #14 : Periodic Trends

The following question is based on trends that occur when observing the changes in characteristics of elements as one moves across and vertically through the periodic table of elements.  

Which of the following elements is the least electronegative?

Possible Answers:

S

N

Cs

F

Fe

Correct answer:

Cs

Explanation:

Electronegativity increases as one moves left to right across the periodic table, it also increases as one moves up the periodic table. This is because of the changes in the atomic radii of elements that occurs as one move in these directions.  Flourine is the most electronegative element because the positive charge of its nucleus exerts the strongest attractive force on it's electrons when compared to the other elements.  Conversely, the nuclei of the elements in the lower left hand side of the periodic table exert the weakest attractive force on their electrons when compared to the other elements. As one moves from left to right within the same period, one electron and one proton are added to each element.  The electrons will not be any further away from the than the previous element but there will be one more proton with which to generate attractive force on the electrons.  So the upper left hand elements have the most protons within their respective period with which to generate pull on the electrons. The electrons of these species are also the closest in proximity to the nucleii. 

Example Question #11 : Periodic Trends

Which of the following has the greatest ionization energy?

Possible Answers:

Li

Ca

F

Br

Na

Correct answer:

F

Explanation:

Ionization energy goes up across the period and down as you go down the group. This is the energy required to remove an electron. Of the listed elements it would be hardest to remove an electron from Flourine as the positive nucleus close to the electron orbitals has greater attractive force.

Example Question #16 : Periodic Trends

Which element has the smallest atomic radius?

Possible Answers:

Cs

F

He

Na

Correct answer:

He

Explanation:

Helium has the smallest atomic radius. This is due to trends in the periodic table, and the effective nuclear charge that holds the valence electrons close to the nucleus. Atomic radius decreases as you move across a period from left to right and decreases as you move up a group from bottom to top. Since He is at the upper right-hand corner of the table, it must have the smallest atomic radius.

Example Question #41 : The Periodic Table

Place the following atoms in order of increasing atomic radii:

Na, Mg, K, Ca, Rb

Possible Answers:

Na, Mg, K, Ca, Rb

Na, K, Rb, Mg, Ca

Rb, K, Ca, Na, Mg

Na, K, Mg, Ca, Rb,

Mg, Na, Ca, K, Rb

Correct answer:

Mg, Na, Ca, K, Rb

Explanation:

The periodic table allows you to follow general guidelines or "trends" that are displayed on the table. Atomic radius is one such trend. As you move down in groups, further shells are added to the atom which results in an increase in radius. As you move to the right on the periodic table, the nuclear charge increases which pulls the elctrons closer to the nucleus. As a result, the atomic radius will decrease when moving to the right.

Example Question #41 : The Periodic Table

Why does fluorine have a smaller atomic radius than carbon?

Possible Answers:

Fluorine is more electronegative than carbon

Halogens have a larger atomic radius than carbon

Fluorine is the most electronegative element

Fluorine has more charged particles attracting the electron cloud to the nucleus

Fluorine is farther down the group than carbon

Correct answer:

Fluorine has more charged particles attracting the electron cloud to the nucleus

Explanation:

Atomic radius decreases as you move left to right on the periodic table. As atomic number increases, so does the number of positive protons in the nucleus. To the far left of a period, electrons are widespread within a new electronic shell. To the far right of the period, the electrons still occupy the same shell, but experience greater attractive force toward the nucleus due to the higher number of protons present.

While it is true that flourine is the most electronegative element, this does not influence atomic radius (though the two trends follow similar patterns).

Example Question #11 : Periodic Trends

The difference in the atomic radii of fluorine and lithium is most similar to the difference in the atomic radii of which pair of elements?

Possible Answers:

As and Se

Fe and Br

Be and B

Cs and Bi

Na and Cl

Correct answer:

Na and Cl

Explanation:

The atomic radius of elements decreases as one moves from left to right across the periodic table. The degree to which lithium has a larger atomic radius than fluorine is most similar to the difference between another pair of elements within the same groups, that are also found on the left and right sides of the table.

Fluorine and chlorine are both halogens, and lithium and sodium are both alkali metals. Fluorine and lithium are both in the second period, and sodium and chlorine are both in the third. As you move from lithium to fluorine across the table, you will see similar changes and patterns as if you were moving from sodium to chlorine.

Example Question #41 : The Periodic Table

Which of the following atoms has the largest atomic radius?

Possible Answers:

Sulfur

Chlorine

Fluorine

Oxygen

Correct answer:

Sulfur

Explanation:

When predicting how atomic radius will change as you move along the periodic table, remember these two trends.

1. As you move down the table in a given group, the atomic radius of the atoms will increase.

2. As you move left to right in a given period, the atomic radius will decrease.

Knowing this, we can compare the possible options. Sulfur and chlorine are in the lowest period, so they have the largest atomic radii. Because sulfur is to the left of chlorine on the periodic table, it will have a larger atomic radius. As a result, sulfur has the largest atomic radius out of the possible options.

Example Question #41 : The Periodic Table

Which of the following atoms has the smallest atomic radius?

Possible Answers:

Nitrogen

Sulfur

Oxygen

Chlorine

Fluorine

Correct answer:

Fluorine

Explanation:

As you move across a single period (row) on the periodic table, the atomic radius of each successive atom decreases. As you move down a single group (column), the atomic radius of each successive atom increases. As you move down a group, the maximum energy level of the valence shell increases, thus increasing the size of the electron cloud and atomic radius. As you move across a period to the right, the number of protons in the nucleus increases. This also increases the attraction between the positively-charged nucleus and negatively-charged electrons, pulling the electrons in tighter and reducing the atomic radius.

The smallest atoms are going to be located toward the upper right of the periodic table. Of our given answer choices, fluorine is the closest to the upper right, and thus has the smallest radius.

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