There are eight elements in the second row (lithium to neon) of the periodic table - AQA - GCSE Chemistry - Question 1 - 2016 - Paper 1
Question 1
There are eight elements in the second row (lithium to neon) of the periodic table.
1 (a) (i) Complete Figure 1 to show the electronic structure of a boron atom.
1... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:There are eight elements in the second row (lithium to neon) of the periodic table - 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 consists of 5 electrons. The two electrons will occupy the innermost shell, while the remaining three electrons will be placed in the second shell. The representation can be depicted as follows:
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•
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Each dot represents an electron.
Step 2
What does the central part labelled Z represent in Figure 1?
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Answer
The central part labelled Z 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: Relative charge +1.
Neutrons: Relative charge 0 (neutral).
These particles are located within the nucleus.
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 for a neon atom. Neon has 10 electrons, which means it should have 2 electrons in the innermost shell and 8 electrons in the outer shell. The diagram could incorrectly show too many electrons in the inner shell or not enough in the outer shell. Moreover, the inner shell can only accommodate a maximum of 2 electrons, so representing more would be erroneous. An accurate depiction would show a full outer shell, reflecting the stable arrangement of a neon atom.