Ch.6 - Ionic Compounds: Periodic Trends and Bonding Theory

McMurry8th EditionChemistryISBN: 9781292336145Not the one you use?Change textbook

McMurry 8th Edition

Ch.6 - Ionic Compounds: Periodic Trends and Bonding Theory

Problem 114

Chapter 6, Problem 114

Take a guess. What do you think is a likely ground-state electron configuration for the sodium ion, Na+, formed by loss of an electron from a neutral sodium atom?

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Step 1: Understand the electron configuration of a neutral sodium atom. Sodium (Na) is the 11th element on the periodic table, so a neutral sodium atom has 11 electrons. The electron configuration of a neutral sodium atom is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s¹.

Step 2: Understand what happens when a sodium atom loses an electron. When a sodium atom loses an electron, it becomes a sodium ion (Na+). This means it now has 10 electrons.

Step 3: Determine the electron configuration of the sodium ion. After losing an electron, the sodium ion's electron configuration will be the same as that of the 10th element on the periodic table, which is neon (Ne).

Step 4: The electron configuration of a neon atom is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶. Therefore, the likely ground-state electron configuration for the sodium ion, Na+, is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Electron Configuration

Electron configuration describes the distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals. It is represented using a notation that indicates the energy levels and sublevels occupied by electrons. For example, the electron configuration of a neutral sodium atom (Na) is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s¹, showing that it has one electron in the outermost shell.

Ion Formation

Ion formation occurs when an atom gains or loses electrons, resulting in a charged particle. A sodium ion (Na+) is formed when a neutral sodium atom loses one electron from its outermost shell. This loss leads to a stable electron configuration similar to that of the noble gas neon, making the ion more stable.

Ground State

The ground state of an atom refers to the lowest energy configuration of its electrons. In this state, electrons occupy the lowest available energy levels according to the Aufbau principle. For the sodium ion (Na+), the ground-state electron configuration reflects the removal of one electron from the neutral sodium atom, resulting in a configuration of 1s² 2s² 2p⁶, which is stable and fully filled.

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Textbook Question

Iron is commonly found as Fe, Fe²⁺, and Fe³⁺. (b) What are the n and l quantum numbers of the electron removed on going from Fe²+ to Fe³⁺?

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Textbook Question

Iron is commonly found as Fe, Fe²⁺+, and Fe³⁺. (c) The third ionization energy of Fe is E_i3 = +2952 kJ/mol. What is the longest wavelength of light that could ionize Fe²⁺(g) to Fe³⁺(g)?

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Textbook Question

The ionization energy of an atom can be measured by photo-electron spectroscopy, in which light of wavelength l is directed at an atom, causing an electron to be ejected. The kinetic energy of the ejected electron 1EK2 is measured by determining its velocity, v since EK = 1/2 mv2. The Ei is then calculated using the relationship that the energy of the inci-dent light equals the sum of Ei plus EK. (a) What is the ionization energy of rubidium atoms in kilo-joules per mole if light with l = 58.4 nm produces elec-trons with a velocity of 2.450 * 106m/s? (The mass of an electron is 9.109 * 10-31 kg.)

Order the following atoms according to increasing atomic radius: S, F, O.

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