Princeton 2012/Barron 4th ed.
AP Practice Problems
Unit 2 – Atomic Structure
Multiple Choice (no calculator)
1. All of the electrons in this element
are spin paired (P3.3).
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
C
N
O
F
Ne
2. What is the most likely electron
configuration for a sodium ion in its
ground state? (P3.8)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
1s22s22p5
1 s22s22p6
1s22s22p63s1
1s22s22p53s2
1s22s22p63s2
3. Which of the following could be the
quantum numbers (n, l, ml, ms) for
the valence electron in a potassium
atom in its ground state? (P3.10)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
3,0,0,½
3,1,1, ½
4,0,0, ½
4,1,1, ½
4,2,1, ½
4. Which of the following elements is
diamagnetic? (P3.11)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
H
Li
Be
B
C
5. Which of the following rules states
that no two electrons in an atom can
have the same set of quantum
numbers? (P3.12)
a. Hund’s Rule
b. The Heisenberg Uncertainty
Principle
c. The Pauli Exclusion Principle
d. The de Broglie hypothesis
e. The Bohr Model
6. Which of the following nuclei has 3
more neutrons than protons?
(Remember: the number before the
symbol indicates atomic mass.)
(P3.14)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
11
B
Cl
24
Mg
70
Ga
19
F
37
7. Which of the following is an
impossible set of quantum numbers
(n, l, ml, ms)? (P3.16)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
4,0,0, ½
4,0,1, ½
4,1,0, ½
4,1,1, ½
4,2,1, ½
Princeton 2012/Barron 4th ed.
8. When an electron in a hydrogen
atom makes the transition from the
n=4 state to the n=2 state, blue light
with a wavelength of 434 nm is
emitted. Which of the following
expressions gives the energy released
by the transition? (P3.18)
a.
joules
c.
joules
d.
joules
e. (6.63×10-34)(4.34×10-7)
Joules
For problems 9-10 one or more of the
following responses will apply; each
response may be used more than once or not
at all in these questions.
Rydberg equation
Heisenberg uncertainty
principle
Hund’s rule
Pauli exclusion principle
Bohr model
III.
IV.
V.
9. Our inability to precisely know the
position and momentum of a
subatomic particle is summarized by
(B1.1).
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
joules
b.
I.
II.
10. In filing the atom with electrons, the
rule(s) that must be considered are
(B1.2)
I
II
III
IV
V
I and III
II and V
III and IV
IV
III
For problems 11-13 one or more of the
following responses will apply; each
response may be used more than once or not
at all in these questions.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
n
s
ml
ms
f
11. Which of these symbols represents
an orbital? (B1.4)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
I and II
II and V
I, II, and V
III and IV
V
12. Which may be occupied by an
electron from calcium in an excited
state? (B1.5)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
I and II
II and V
I, II, and III
III and IV
V
Princeton 2012/Barron 4th ed.
13. Which of these will tell you the
shape of the orbital that the electron
occupies? (B1.6)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
I
II
III
IV
V
14. Which of the following types of
electromagnetic radiation has the
highest energy? (B1.7)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Visible
Ultraviolet
Microwave
Infrared
X rays
15. What is the wavelength of light that
has a frequency of 4.00×1014s-1?
(B1.8)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
7.5 nm
1333 nm
750. nm
1.33 cm-1
1.2×1023 m
16. Which of the following elements has
the greatest number of p electrons?
(B1.9)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
C
Si
Fe
Cl
As
17. An electron with the four quantum
numbers 3, 2, -1, -1/2 may be an
electron in an unfilled sublevel of
(B1.10)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Ca
Fe
Al
Ar
Ag
18. For a d orbital: (B1.11)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
the value of n must be 2
the value of ms must be +½
the value of l must be 3
the value of ml must be 3
the value of l must be 2
19. The numbers of electrons, protons,
and neutrons, respectively, in the 31P
isotope are (B1.12)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
15, 31, 15
15, 15, 31
31, 15, 16
15, 15, 16
31, 31, 16
20. Which element has an electronic
configuration that does NOT follow
the Aufbau principle? (B1.13)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Fe
Mg
Al
Ag
Ni
Princeton 2012/Barron 4th ed.
21. Which electronic configuration
corresponds to that of a noble gas?
(B1.14)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p
22. Which electronic transition requires
the addition of the most energy?
(B1.15)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
n=1 to n=3
n=5 to n=2
n=2 to n=3
n=4 to n=1
n=5 to n=1
23. The Heisenberg uncertainty principle
states that (B1.16)
a. electrons have no momentum
b. the position of an electron is
impossible to determine
c. the faster an electron moves,
the more unreliable is its
energy
d. the momentum and the
position of an electron cannot
be precisely defined
simultaneously
e. Einstein’s theory of relativity
is still unproved
24. Which was used to determine the
charge of the electron? (B1.17)
a. the gold foil experiment
b. deflection of cathode rays by
electric and magnetic fields
c. the oil drop experiment
d. electrolysis
e. the mass spectrometer
25. Which quantum number describes
the shape of an orbital? (B1.20)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
n
l
ml
ms
s
26. Which of the following is FALSE?
(B1.22)
a. The 4d orbitals are in the
fourth period of the periodic
table.
b. The 7s orbitals are in the
seventh period of the table.
c. The 4f orbitals are in the sixth
period of the periodic table.
d. The 6s orbitals are spherical
in shape.
e. The 5p orbitals are dumbbellshaped.
27. The f sublevel may contain a
maximum of (B1.23)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
2 electrons
14 electrons
6 electrons
10 electrons
8 electrons
28. Which equation best represents the
energy of a photon? (B1.25)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
E = ½mυ2
E = ½mc2
E = IR
E = hυ
E = E0 – RTlnK
Princeton 2012/Barron 4th ed.
Answer Key – Unit 2: Atomic Structure
1. E
2. B
3. C
4. C
5. C
6. B
7. B
8. A
9. B
10. C
11. B
12. E
13. C
14. E
15. C
16. E
17. B
18. E
19. D
20. D
21. C
22. A
23. D
24. C
25. B
26. A
27. B
28. D