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CAIE A Level Chemistry 9701

Atomic structure questions

Exam-style questions on Atomic structure, ordered from foundation to challenge. Pick one, write your answer the way you would in the exam, and it comes back marked against the mark scheme, point by point.

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Written by Markquill to follow the Cambridge International syllabus. Markquill is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cambridge International.

  1. Compare5 marksStandardThe first four ionisation energies of magnesium are shown in the table. Ionisation Value / kJ mol⁻¹ 1st 738 2nd 1451 3rd 7733 4th 10543 Compare these values and explain the reasons for the trends observed.
  2. Explain4 marksStandardThree beams of particles – protons, electrons and neutrons – are all moving at the same velocity. Each beam is directed separately into a uniform electric field. The protons are deflected slightly towards the negative…
  3. Explain4 marksStandardThe nucleus of an atom is extremely small and very dense, and it carries a positive charge. Explain these features in terms of the particles that make up the atom and the space they occupy.
  4. Suggest4 marksStandardA demonstration tube contains two parallel metal plates so that a uniform electric field is set up between them. One plate is positively charged and the other is negatively charged. Three separate beams of particles…
  5. Explain4 marksStandardNeon has two naturally occurring isotopes, ce^2010Ne and ce^2210Ne. Explain what is meant by the term isotope, and explain why these two isotopes of neon have the same chemical properties but different physical…
  6. Explain4 marksStandardOxygen has three naturally occurring isotopes, ce^168O, ce^178O and ce^188O. (a) Define the term isotope, in terms of protons and neutrons. (b) Explain why isotopes of oxygen have the same chemical properties. (c) A…
  7. Compare5 marksStandardAn atom is described by its atomic number, Z, and its mass number, A. Compare the terms atomic number and mass number. In your comparison, state what each number counts, what it tells you about the protons, neutrons…
  8. Suggest4 marksStandardSeparate beams of protons, neutrons and electrons, all moving at the same velocity, are passed through identical uniform electric fields. The proton beam and the electron beam are deflected; they are deflected in…
  9. Compare5 marksStandardCompare the electronic configurations of a phosphorus atom (atomic number 15) and a sulfur atom (atomic number 16). In your answer you should include: the full electronic configurations, the number of electrons in each…
  10. Compare5 marksStandardNeon is a gas at room temperature and pressure. Naturally occurring neon contains three isotopes: ce^2010Ne, ce^2110Ne and ce^2210Ne. Compare the chemical and physical properties of these three isotopes of neon, and…
  11. Compare5 marksStandardChlorine exists as two stable isotopes: chlorine-35 and chlorine-37. Compare the chemical and physical properties of these two isotopes. In your answer you should refer to the numbers of subatomic particles in each…
  12. Compare5 marksStandardHydrogen has three isotopes: hydrogen-1, hydrogen-2 and hydrogen-3. The symbols ce^21H and ce^31H represent hydrogen-2 and hydrogen-3. Compare these two isotopes in terms of the numbers of protons and neutrons in each…
  13. Compare5 marksStandardAn atom contains three types of subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. Compare these particles in terms of their relative masses, relative charges, and locations within the atom. In addition, describe…
  14. Explain4 marksStandardThe first ionisation energies (in kJ mol^-1) of the elements Na to Ar across Period 3 are: Na 496, Mg 738, Al 578, Si 787, P 1012, S 1000, Cl 1251, Ar 1520. Explain the pattern of first ionisation energies across…
  15. Suggest4 marksStandardMagnesium exists as three isotopes, ce^2412Mg, ce^2512Mg and ce^2612Mg. Suggest what is meant by the term isotope. Suggest why these isotopes have the same chemical properties, and why their physical properties, such…
  16. Suggest4 marksStandardChlorine exists naturally as two isotopes, ce^3517Cl and ce^3717Cl. Suggest, in terms of the particles present in the two atoms, why the isotopes have the same chemical properties but different physical properties…
  17. Describe5 marksStandardTwo isotopes of carbon are carbon-12, ce^126C, and carbon-14, ce^146C. Describe what is meant by the term isotopes and explain why these two isotopes have the same chemical properties but different physical properties…
  18. Explain4 marksStandardThe element chlorine has two isotopes, ce^3517Cl and ce^3717Cl. (a) Define the term isotope. (b) Explain why these two isotopes have the same chemical properties. (c) Explain why these two isotopes have different…
  19. Explain4 marksStandardAn atom of element Q has a proton number of 12 and a nucleon number of 24. The neutral atom forms a cation with a charge of 2+. Explain, in terms of the relative charges and relative masses of protons, neutrons and…
  20. Compare5 marksStandardMost of a helium atom is empty space surrounding a very small nucleus. Compare the distribution of mass and of charge within the atom, referring to the protons, neutrons and electrons.
  21. Describe7 marksChallengeDescribe the structure of an atom. In your description, include: the distribution of mass and charge within the atom the relative masses and relative charges of protons, neutrons and electrons the behaviour of beams of…
  22. Describe7 marksChallengeDescribe the ground-state electronic configurations of a chromium atom (Cr, atomic number 24) and the chromium(III) ion (Cr^3+). Explain why the chromium atom has the configuration [Ar] 3d^5 4s^1 rather than [Ar] 3d^4…
  23. Compare7 marksChallengeA beam of protons, a beam of neutrons and a beam of electrons, all moving at the same velocity, pass between two parallel plates that carry opposite charges. Compare the behaviour of the three beams in this electric…
  24. Explain5 marksChallengeNeon has three naturally occurring isotopes. Two of them are described below. Neon-20 atoms contain 10 protons and 10 neutrons. Neon-22 atoms contain 10 protons and 12 neutrons. (a) Define the term isotope. (b) Write…
  25. Describe7 marksChallengeMagnesium has three naturally occurring isotopes: ce^2412Mg, ce^2512Mg, and ce^2612Mg. Their relative abundances are 78.99%, 10.00%, and 11.01% respectively. Describe what is meant by the term isotope, and explain why…
  26. Explain5 marksChallengeA beam of protons, a beam of neutrons and a beam of electrons, all moving at the same velocity, are passed in turn through the same electric field. Explain why the three beams behave differently in the electric field…
  27. Describe6 marksChallengeDescribe what is meant by the term isotope, using carbon-12 and carbon-14 as examples. Interpret the two numbers shown in the symbol ce^146C. State how the chemical properties of the two isotopes compare, and how their…
  28. Describe7 marksChallengeThe first ionisation energies of sodium (Na) and magnesium (Mg) are 496 kJ mol⁻¹ and 738 kJ mol⁻¹ respectively. The second ionisation energy of sodium is 4563 kJ mol⁻¹ and that of magnesium is 1451 kJ mol⁻¹. Construct…