(a) Define (i) energy level (ii) atomic orbital - Leaving Cert Chemistry - Question 5 - 2003
Question 5
(a) Define (i) energy level (ii) atomic orbital.
(iii) Write the electronic configuration (s, p, etc.) of nitrogen.
(iv) Describe how the electrons are arranged in... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:(a) Define (i) energy level (ii) atomic orbital - Leaving Cert Chemistry - Question 5 - 2003
Step 1
Define (i) energy level
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Answer
An energy level refers to the discrete (fixed or restricted) energy of an electron in an orbital or shell (orbit) that electrons of equal energy can occupy. It essentially represents the quantized energies that electrons can have in an atom.
Step 2
Define (ii) atomic orbital
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An atomic orbital is a high probability region in space where an electron is likely to be found. It is essentially a mathematical function that describes the wave-like behavior of an electron in an atom.
Step 3
(iii) Write the electronic configuration (s, p, etc.) of nitrogen.
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The electronic configuration of nitrogen, which has an atomic number of 7, is represented as:
1s22s22p3
Step 4
(iv) Describe how the electrons are arranged in the orbitals of the highest occupied sub-level of a nitrogen atom in its ground state.
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In the nitrogen atom, the highest occupied sub-level is the 2p sub-level. The arrangement of electrons in this sub-level is such that one electron is present in each of the three p orbitals. Therefore, the 2p sub-level configuration is:
2px1,2py1,2pz1
This follows Hund's Rule, where electrons occupy separate orbitals before pairing up.
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