IBChemistrySLTopic QuestionsModels of the Particulate Nature of MatterElectronic Configurations

Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2023

First exams 2025

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Electronic Configurations (SL IB Chemistry)

Topic Questions

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11 mark

Using the Aufbau Principle and Hund’s rule, deduce which element below has the greatest number of unpaired electrons in its ground state.

  • Z = 13

  • Z = 14

  • Z = 15

  • Z = 16

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2
Sme Calculator1 mark

Which spectrum belongs to hydrogen?

eARGWkkX_hydrogen-spectrum

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11 mark

Which species produces a half-filled set of p orbitals on losing an electron?

  • Li+

  • F

  • N

  • N-

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21 mark

Which statement explains why electrons pair up in orbitals before occupying an orbital of a higher energy level?

  • the energy from repulsion is greater than the jump to a higher orbital

  • electrons occupy higher energy orbitals before lower energy orbitals

  • electrons in lower orbitals have higher energies

  • the energy from repulsion is less than the jump to a higher orbital

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31 mark

A line emission spectrum occurs when

  • electrons release energy as they move from high to low energy levels

  • electrons release energy as they move from low to high energy levels

  • electrons absorb energy as they move from high to low energy levels

  • electrons absorb energy as they move from low to high energy levels

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4
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Which statement is true about the spectra shown? hydrogen-spectrum-hl

  • All the lines in R have the same energy

  • Q and S could represent line emission spectra

  • Only S could represent a line emission spectrum for hydrogen

  • P indicates the element has 4 pairs of electrons at different energy levels 

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11 mark

There are six unpaired electrons in atoms of element Z. What could element Z be?

  • sulfur

  • iron

  • carbon

  • chromium

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21 mark

The diagram shows three orbitals labelled 1, 2 and 3. 

2-1-m-q5-mcqs-ib-chemistry

What is the correct label for each orbital?

  • px, py and pz

  • s, pz and py

  • s, px and pz

  • s, px and py

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31 mark

What is the electronic configuration of an ion with a single negative charge and atomic number 17?

  • 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1 3p6

  • 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6

  • 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1 3p5

  • 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p5

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41 mark

What is the correct sequence for the orbitals shown in an atom of vanadium in order of decreasing energy?

  • 3s 3p 4s 3d

  • 4s 3d 3s 3p

  • 4s 3d 3p 3s

  • 3d 4s 3p 3s

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51 mark

An element in the d block of the periodic table forms a +4 ion and has the electron configuration of [Ar] 3d1.

What is the identity of the element?

  • Chromium

  • Copper

  • Vanadium

  • Silicon

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61 mark

Deduce the correct information about the element tin, Sn (Z = 50)

  Number of occupied
main energy levels		 Number of electrons in the
highest main energy level

A

4

4

B

4

14

C

5

4

D

5

14

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