PRACTICE EXAM

First Hour Exam

5.111
September 29, 2014
Please write your name below. Do not open the exam until the start of the exam is announced. The
exam is closed notes and closed book.
1. Read each part of each problem carefully and thoroughly.
2. Read all parts of each problem. MANY OF THE LATTER PARTS OF A PROBLEM CAN BE
SOLVED WITHOUT HAVING SOLVED EARLIER PARTS. However, if you need a numerical result
that you were not successful in obtaining for the computation of a latter part, make a physically
reasonable approximation for that quantity (and indicate it as such) and use it to solve the latter parts.
3. A problem that requests you to calculate implies that several calculation steps may be necessary for
the problems solution. You must show these steps clearly and indicate all values, including physical
constants used to obtain your quantitative result. Significant figures must be correct.
4. If you dont understand what the problem is requesting, raise your hand to for clarification.
5. Physical constants, formulas and a periodic table are given on the last page. You may detach this
page once the exam has started.

1. The Photoelectric Effect

(18 points) _____________

2. One-Electron Atoms

(20 points) ______________

3. Multi-electron atoms

(20 points) ______________

4. Periodic Trends and Short Answer

(34 points) _______________

5. Theoretical Yield

(8 points) _______________

Total (100 points)

(100 points) ________________

Name ___________________________________
TAs : Whitney and Allena

1. (18 points) The Photoelectric Effect

Electrons are ejected from the surface of a metal following irradiation with UV light. Consider an
ejected electron with a kinetic energy of 1.03 x 10-18 J (and therefore a velocity of 1.50 x 106 m/s).
(a) (8 points) Calculate the frequency of light required to eject the electron described if the workfunction
of the metal is 7.30 x 10-19 J.
KE of ejected electon = 1.03 x 10-18 J
= 0.730 x 10-18 J
Ei = + KE
= 0.730 x 10-18 J + 1.03 x 10-18 J
= 1.76 x 10-18 J
= E/h = (1.76 x 10-18 J)/(6.626 x 10-34 J/s)
= 2.66 x 1015 s-1

(b) (6 points) Determine the wavelength of the ejected electron.

(no partial credit is possible for = hc/E)
p = mv
p = ( 9.109 x 10-31 kg)(1.50 x 106 m/s)
p = 13.7 x 10-25
= h = 6.626 x 10-34 kgm2s-1
p
1.37 x 10-24 kgms-1
= 4.84 x 1010 m
(c) (4 points) Now consider electrons ejected with a KE = 2 x 10-18 J from the same metal described in
part (a). Circle all correct answers that describe the requirement of the incident light to eject
electrons with the indicated KE. No calculations are required.
o The frequency of the incident light would need to be lower than that calculated in part (a)
[assuming the same intensity of light as in part (a)].
o The frequency of the incident light would need to be higher than that calculated in part (a).
[assuming the same intensity of light as in part (a)].
o The intensity of the incident light would need to be lower than in part (a) [assuming the same
frequency of light as in part (a)].
o The intensity of the incident light would need to be higher than in part (a) [assuming the same
frequency of light as in part (a)].

2. (20 points) One-Electron Atoms

Shown below is a He1+ (helium cation) emission spectrum covering emission over several orders of
magnitude of wavelength. Each line represents emission at a wavelength.
nf = 1

nf = 2

nf = 3

nf = 4

increasing
A

(a) (8 points) Draw an energy level diagram of the allowed states of a He1+ cation. The lowest energy
state should be at the bottom of the diagram and the highest energy state should be at the top. Label the
states with the appropriate quantum number(s). Then, draw lines between the participating states that
give rise to the emission lines labeled A, B, and C in the above diagram. (You do NOT need to calculate
energy values!)

(b) (8 points) A He1+ (helium cation) emits photons with an energy of 1.63 x 10-18 J when the electron
drops from an excited state to the n = 2 state. Calculate the principal quantum number of the initial
state of the electron. (You do not need to solve part (a) to answer this question.)
= Z2RH/h [(1/nf2) (1/ni2)]
E = Z2RH [(1/nf2) (1/ni2)]

and

E = h

nf = 2
ni = ?
Z=2
1.63 x 10-18 J = (4)2.1799 x 10-18 J [(1/4) (1/ni2)]
0.1869 = 0.25 1/ ni2
1/ni2 = 0.0630
ni = 3.98
ni = 4

(c) (4 points) Suppose the same transition as in part (b) took place in a Na10+ cation. Would the
wavelength of the emitted light be greater than, less than, or the same as the emission described in part
(b). Very briefly explain why. (No calculation is needed to answer this question.)
higher Z, so greater energy of light emitted.
higher energy light

3. (20 points) Multi-electron atoms

(a) In a photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) experiment, magnesium (Mg) is irradiated by x-rays with an
incident energy of 1.400 x 10-16 J. The KE of the ejected electrons range from 1.320 x 10-16 J to 1.388 x
10-16 J.
(i) (6 points) What is the total number of spectral lines representing distinct kinetic energies on the
magnesium PES spectrum?
1s, 2s, 2p, 3s orbitals are occupied. Mg has electrons with four different binding energies.
four
(ii) (8 points) Calculate the ionization energy (IE) of a magnesium 3s electron in kJ/mol.
Ei = IE + KE
The 3s electron is held least tightly to the nucleus, so it would have the highest KE (or the most
energy left over after ionization).
KE = 1.388 x 10-16 J
Ei = 1.400 x 10-16 J
IE = 1.400 x 10-16 J 1.388 x 10-16 J = 1.2 x 10-18 J
IE = 1.2 x 10-18 J
(1.2 x 10-18 J)(kJ/1000) (6.022 x 1023 mol-1)
IE = 720 kJ/mol
(iii) (6 points) Which experiences the lowest Zeff?
o A 2s electron in Mg
o A 2s electron in Mg2+
o A 2p electron in Mg
Briefly explain your answer:
2s electrons are on avg. closer to the nucleus compared to 2p electrons. Cations experience a higher
Zeff compared to the neutral atom, since there are less electrons, but the same Z.

4. (34 points) Periodic trends and miscellaneous short answer

(a) (3 points) How many different electron binding energies are there for an atom with the following
electron configuration: 1s22s22px22py22pz23s23px?
(E depends on n and l)
Five

(b) (9 points) Give the electron configuration expected for the following atoms or ions. (You may use the
noble gas configuration as a means to abbreviate the full configuration.)
(i) Ga (Z = 31)

[Ar]4s23d104p1

(ii) Cr (Z = 24)

[Ar]4s13d5

(iii) Si1+ (Z = 14)

[Ne]3s23p1

or

[Ar] 3d104s24p1

(c) (6 points) Circle the atom or ion in each of the following pairs with the higher ionization energy.
(i)

or S

(ii) Sn2+ or Sn
(iii) C or N

(d) (4 points) Very briefly explain why the IE of C1- is higher than the IE of N1-.
Losing an electron from N1- goes from one set of paired electrons in p orbitals to all unpaired p orbitals
(pairing energy). This causes a glitch from p3 to p4 filled atoms or ions.

(e) (3 point ) Name one ion that is isoelectric with the chloride anion (Cl1-).
100+ possible correct answers. Ie. Ar, S2-, K+, etc.

(f) (3 points) How many angular nodes are present in a 4s orbital?

zero

(g) (6 points) Determine the number of electrons in a single atom that can have the following quantum
numbers.
(i) n = 3
total orbitals = 9, so total possible electrons = 18

(ii) n = 4, ml = +2
n = 4, l = 3 or 2, ml = +2
2 orbitals, so 4 electrons
5. (8 points) Limiting Reagent and Theoretical Yield
Consider the following reaction: Mg(OH)2 + 2HCl MgCl2 + 2H2O
(a) What is the limiting reagent if 0.7 mol each of Mg(OH)2 and HCl are used in the reaction?
HCl

(b) What is the theoretical yield (in mol) of MgCl2 if 0.40 mol of HCl are reacted with an excess of
Mg(OH)2?
0.20 mol

Periodic Table with constants and equations for Exam 1:

c = 2.9979 x 108 m/s
h = 6.6261 x 10-34 J s
NA = 6.022 x 1023 mol-1
me = 9.1094 x 10-31 kg
ao = 5.292 x 10-11 m
1 amu = 1.66 x 10-27 kg

h
p

RH = 2.1799 x 10-18 J
= RH/h = 3.2898 x 1015 Hz

Z2R H
En = 2
n
Z eff 2 R H
E nl =
n2
1W = 1 J s-1
1 J = 1 kgm2s-2
1 eV = 1.6022 x 10-19 J
for s wavefunction:
RPD = 4r22dr
for nf < ni
Z2R H ! 1 1 $
v=
h #" n 2f n 2i &%
for nf > ni..
Z2R H ! 1 1 $
v=
h #" n 2i n 2f &%