1 (a) (i) Complete Figure 1 to show the electronic structure of a boron atom - AQA - GCSE Chemistry - Question 1 - 2016 - Paper 1
Question 1
1 (a) (i) Complete Figure 1 to show the electronic structure of a boron atom.
1 (a) (ii) What does the central part labelled Z represent in Figure 1?
1 (a) (iii) N... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:1 (a) (i) Complete Figure 1 to show the electronic structure of a boron atom - AQA - GCSE Chemistry - Question 1 - 2016 - Paper 1
Step 1
Complete Figure 1 to show the electronic structure of a boron atom.
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Answer
The electronic structure of a boron atom, which has an atomic number of 5, can be represented as follows: the first energy level (shell) contains 2 electrons, and the second energy level contains 3 electrons. Thus, the completed diagram will have 2 electrons drawn in the inner shell and 3 electrons arranged around the outer shell.
Step 2
What does the central part labelled Z represent in Figure 1?
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Answer
The central part labelled Z in Figure 1 represents the nucleus of the atom. The nucleus contains protons and neutrons.
Step 3
Name the sub-atomic particles in part Z of a boron atom. Give the relative charges of these sub-atomic particles.
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Answer
The sub-atomic particles in part Z of a boron atom are:
Protons, which have a relative charge of +1.
Neutrons, which have a relative charge of 0 (neutral).
Step 4
Explain what is wrong with the electronic structure shown in Figure 2.
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Answer
The electronic structure shown in Figure 2 is incorrect because it does not follow the rule that the inner shell can hold a maximum of 2 electrons. Additionally, the outer shell should contain a maximum of 8 electrons, but it appears to show configurations that exceed this limit or do not properly account for the electrons. Neon, which has 10 electrons, requires a stable arrangement where the inner shell and outer shell values are accurately depicted.