Study GuidesExam QuestionsPast Papers
AP®ChemistryCollege BoardExam QuestionsUnit 1: Atomic Structure & PropertiesAtoms & Electrons

Atoms & Electrons (College Board AP® Chemistry)

Exam Questions

18 mins15 questions

Select a question set to download for
Atoms & Electrons

Select an answer set to view for
Atoms & Electrons

Medium
Hard
Very Hard
11 mark

1s22s22p6

Which of the following species has the electron configuration shown above?

  • F+

  • Na+

  • Mg

  • Ar

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

21 mark

Which statement is correct?

  • Oxygen has 6 electrons.

  • Chlorine has 17 valence electrons.

  • Calcium has 12 p electrons.

  • Copper has 9 d electrons.

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

31 mark

Chromium-53 is an isotope of chromium.

How many protons, neutrons and electrons does a neutral atom of this isotope have?

  • 53 protons, 24 neutrons, 53 electrons

  • 24 protons, 53 neutrons, 24 electrons

  • 26 protons, 24 neutrons, 24 electrons

  • 24 protons, 29 neutrons, 24 electrons

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

41 mark

What is the equation for Coulomb's Law?

  • straight F subscript coulombic space equals space straight k space fraction numerator straight q subscript 1 straight q subscript 2 over denominator straight r squared end fraction

  • straight F subscript coulombic space equals space straight k space fraction numerator straight r squared over denominator straight q subscript 1 straight q subscript 2 end fraction

  • straight F subscript coulombic space equals space r squared space fraction numerator straight q subscript 1 straight q subscript 2 over denominator straight k end fraction

  • straight F subscript coulombic space equals space straight k space straight q subscript 1 straight q subscript 2 space stretchy left parenthesis straight r squared stretchy right parenthesis

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

51 mark

The principal quantum number, n, represents

  • the average distance of the electron from the nucleus.

  • the shape of the orbital.

  • the orientation of the orbital in space.

  • the spin of the electron.

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

61 mark

Which is the correct equation for the first ionization energy for magnesium?

  • Mg (g) → Mg2+ (g) + 2e-

  • Mg+ (g) → Mg2+ (g) + e-

  • Mg (g) → Mg+ (g) + e-

  • Mg+ → Mg2+ + e-

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

71 mark

What is the correct number of subatomic particles in a phosphide ion, P3-?

  • 15 protons, 16 neutrons, 18 electrons

  • 15 protons, 16 neutrons, 15 electrons

  • 16 protons, 15 neutrons, 18 electrons

  • 15 protons, 16 neutrons, 12 electrons

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

11 mark

Which statement about ionization energy is true?

  • It is the energy required to add an electron to an atom or ion in the gaseous state and is always endothermic.

  • It is the energy required to add an electron to an atom or ion in the gaseous state and is always exothermic.

  • It is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom or ion in the gaseous state and is always endothermic.

  • It is the energy required to remove an electron from an atom or ion in the gaseous state and is always exothermic.

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

21 mark

A charged particle has the electronic configuration [Ar]3d3.

What is the identity of the particle?

  • Cr+

  • V3+

  • Ti2+

  • V2+

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

31 mark

C presubscript 17 presuperscript 37 l to the power of minus P presubscript 15 presuperscript 31 superscript 3 minus end superscript     K presubscript 19 presuperscript 37 superscript plus

Three ions of different elements are shown above. Which of the following statements is/are correct?

I. All three ions have the same number of electrons

II. None of the ions have the same number of neutrons as each other

III. Cl- and K+ have the same total number of subatomic particles

  • I, III & IIII

  • I & II

  • II & III

  • I only

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

41 mark
Graph showing relative number of electrons versus binding energy in MJ/mol, with three narrow peaks at different energy levels on a logarithmic scale.

The photoelectron spectrum of an unknown element is shown above. Based on the binding energies and the number of peaks, which of the following elements does the spectrum represent?

  • B

  • Ne

  • Li

  • N

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

51 mark
Graph showing intensity (c/s) versus binding energy (MJ/mol). Peaks occur at approximately 290, 40, 9, 7, and 3 MJ/mol, with notable values at 0.63 and 0.77.

Based on the photoelectron spectrum of scandium shown above, what is the most accurate reason scandium typically forms a 3+ ion rather than a 2+ ion?

  • Removing two electrons reduces spin-pairing repulsion in the 4s sublevel, but completely emptying the 4s sublevel is more energetically favorable.

  • The energy required to remove an electron from the 3d sublevel is comparable to that of the 4s sublevel, whereas significantly more energy is needed to remove electrons from the 3p sublevel.

  • Scandium belongs to Group 3, and atoms will only lose electrons until they achieve a noble gas electron configuration.

  • The energy released by removing three electrons is greater than that released by removing two electrons.

Choose your answer

Did this page help you?

11 mark

The table below lists pairs of elements and their relative first ionization energies. Which pair correctly identifies the correct relative ionization energy?

Lower first ionization energy

Higher first ionization energy

A

F

Cl

B

N

C

C

O

N

D

Ne

Na

    Choose your answer

    Did this page help you?

    21 mark
    Diagram of a cubic crystal lattice with black and red atoms. Black circles are at each cube vertex and centre, red circles at the face centres; side length is 0.412 nm.

    The diagram shows the crystal structure of an ionic lattice.

    The force of attraction between the ions is -8.46 x 1029 N.

    Use the information given to determine the identity of the substance.

    • NaCl

    • CaO

    • AlN

    • MgCl2

    Choose your answer

    Did this page help you?