Based on the photoelectron spectrum of an element, which property can be directly determined?

• A. The number of neutrons in the nucleus
• B. The atomic mass of the element
• C. The melting point of the element
• D. The binding energies of electrons in different atomic orbitals

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that a photoelectron spectrum provides information about the energies required to remove electrons from an atom, which are called binding energies.
2. Recognize that the binding energy corresponds to the energy needed to eject an electron from a specific atomic orbital, reflecting how tightly the electron is held by the nucleus.
3. Note that the photoelectron spectrum does not provide direct information about the number of neutrons or the atomic mass, as these relate to the nucleus rather than the electrons.
4. Also, realize that physical properties like melting point are macroscopic and depend on intermolecular forces, which are not determined by electron binding energies.
5. Therefore, the property directly determined from a photoelectron spectrum is the binding energies of electrons in different atomic orbitals.