Dr. Zohra Sattar Waxali earned her doctorate in chemistry and biochemistry from Northwestern University, specializing in the metallomes of cardiac cells and stem cells, and their impact on biological function. Her research encompasses the development of arsenoplatin chemotherapeutics, stapled peptide estrogen receptor inhibitors, and antimicrobial natural products.
, PhD (Chemistry)
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Welcome to the Atomic Structure Quiz! Dive deep into the fundamental concepts of atomic theory and test your understanding of electron configurations, energy levels, orbitals, and periodic trends. This quiz is designed to challenge your knowledge of key topics like subatomic particles, quantum numbers, and the periodic table’s arrangement.
Whether you're a student studying for exams, a teacher looking for interactive classroom content, or a science enthusiast eager to reinforce your understanding, this quiz covers a comprehensive range of topics.
Each question offers instant feedback with detailed explanations, helping you learn from your mistakes and deepen your grasp of atomic Read morestructure. Take the Atomic Structure Quiz today and see how well you understand the building blocks of matter! Challenge yourself to learn more about this fascinating field and improve your skills now!
Atomic Structure Questions and Answers
1.
Which answer is the electron configuration of Vanadium, which has an atomic number of 23?
A.
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1 3p6 4s1 3d6
B.
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d7
C.
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s6 3p6 4s2 3d6
D.
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d3
E.
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 4p3
Correct Answer
D. 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d3
Explanation The electron configuration of an atom represents the arrangement of electrons in its energy levels or shells. In this case, Vanadium has an atomic number of 23, which means it has 23 electrons. The electron configuration is determined by filling up the energy levels in a specific order. The given answer, 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d3, follows this order and accounts for all 23 electrons. The numbers and letters represent the different energy levels and sublevels, with the superscripts indicating the number of electrons in each sublevel.
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2.
Isotopes have different amounts of...
A.
Electrons
B.
Protons
C.
Neutrons
D.
Both A & B.
E.
Both B & C
Correct Answer
C. Neutrons
Explanation Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons in their nucleus. This means that isotopes have the same number of protons and electrons, which determines the element they belong to, but they differ in the number of neutrons. Therefore, the correct answer is "neutrons."
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3.
Ions contain different amounts of ...
A.
Electrons
B.
Protons
C.
Neutrons
D.
Both A & B
E.
Both A & C
Correct Answer
A. Electrons
Explanation Ions contain different amounts of electrons. Ions are formed when atoms gain or lose electrons, resulting in a net positive or negative charge. The number of protons and neutrons in an ion remains the same as in the original atom, but the number of electrons changes. A positive ion, or cation, has fewer electrons than protons, while a negative ion, or anion, has more electrons than protons. Therefore, the correct answer is electrons.
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4.
 Which element is four times the mass of carbon?
A.
Cr
B.
Ti
C.
Cd
D.
Cl
E.
Mn
Correct Answer
B. Ti
Explanation Titanium (Ti) is the correct answer because it has a mass that is four times the mass of carbon. The atomic mass of carbon is approximately 12 atomic mass units (amu), while the atomic mass of titanium is approximately 48 amu. Therefore, titanium is four times heavier than carbon.
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5.
Which element has 14 neutrons?
A.
N
B.
Br-80
C.
Si-28
D.
Al-27
E.
Both C & D
Correct Answer
E. Both C & D
Explanation Both silicon-28 (Si-28) and aluminum-27 (Al-27) have 14 neutrons. Silicon-28, with an atomic number of 14 and a mass number of 28, has 28 - 14 = 14 neutrons, while aluminum-27, with an atomic number of 13 and a mass number of 27, has 27 - 13 = 14 neutrons. Therefore, both elements share the same number of neutrons.
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6.
Atomic mass =
A.
Number of protons
B.
Number of protons + electrons
C.
Number of neutrons + electrons
D.
Number of neutrons + protons
E.
Number of protons, electrons, & neutrons.
Correct Answer
D. Number of neutrons + protons
Explanation The atomic mass of an atom is determined by the number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus. This is because protons and neutrons have approximately the same mass, while electrons are much lighter. Therefore, the correct answer is the sum of the number of neutrons and protons, as they contribute to the overall mass of the atom.
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7.
The pretend element Raiderium (Cv) has three naturally occurring isotopes. Raiderium is 74.655% 44Cv, which has an atomic mass of 43.064 amu, 24.958% 46Cv, which has a mass of 46.125 amu, and 0.387% 48Cv, which has an atomic mass of 47.982 amu. Please calculate the average atomic mass of Raiderium.
Correct Answer 43.679, 43.68
Explanation The average atomic mass of Raiderium can be calculated using the weighted average formula. First, we multiply the percent abundance of each isotope by its atomic mass. Then, we add up these values to get the average atomic mass. In this case, the calculation would be: (0.74655 * 43.064) + (0.24958 * 46.125) + (0.00387 * 47.982) = 43.679. Therefore, the average atomic mass of Raiderium is 43.679 amu.
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8.
How many electrons are in 23Na?
Correct Answer 11
Explanation Sodium (Na) has an atomic number of 11, which indicates the number of protons in its nucleus. Since atoms are electrically neutral, the number of electrons in an atom is also equal to its atomic number. Therefore, there are 11 electrons in 23Na.
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9.
If you have an element with 46 protons and 44 electrons, the net charge of the element is ...
Correct Answer +2 + 2
Explanation The element has 46 protons and 44 electrons. Since protons have a positive charge and electrons have a negative charge, the element has an overall positive charge. The difference between the number of protons and electrons is 2, so the net charge of the element is +2.
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10.
If you have an element with 86 electrons, 125 neutrons, and 82 protons, what is the ionic charge of the atom?
Correct Answer -4
Explanation The ionic charge of an atom is determined by the difference between the number of protons and the number of electrons. In this case, the atom has 82 protons and 86 electrons. Since electrons have a negative charge, the atom has an overall negative charge. The difference between the number of protons and electrons is 4, so the ionic charge is -4. The repetition of "-4" in the answer is likely a typo or an error.
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11.
What type of particles did Rutherford use in his experiment?
Correct Answer alpha alfa
Explanation Rutherford used alpha particles in his experiment.
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12.
Which subatomic particle has no charge?
Correct Answer Neutron
Explanation The subatomic particle that has no charge is the neutron. Unlike protons, which have a positive charge, and electrons, which have a negative charge, neutrons are neutral and do not carry any charge. They are found in the nucleus of an atom along with protons and contribute to the mass of the atom. Neutrons play a crucial role in stabilizing the nucleus and determining the isotope of an element.
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13.
Which electron orbital holds 14 electrons.
Correct Answer f
Explanation The f orbital can hold 14 electrons. Each orbital can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, and since the f orbital has 7 suborbitals, it can accommodate a total of 14 electrons.
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14.
How many electrons does Mg+2 have?
Correct Answer 10
Explanation Mg+2 is a magnesium ion with a positive charge of 2. This means that it has lost 2 electrons from its neutral state. Since a neutral magnesium atom has 12 electrons, Mg+2 will have 10 electrons remaining after losing 2.
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15.
What electron orbital do all the noble gasses fill up to be so stable?
Correct Answer p
Explanation The noble gasses fill up the p orbital to be stable because the p orbital can hold a maximum of 6 electrons. The noble gasses have a full valence shell, which means that their outermost energy level is completely filled with electrons. This configuration gives them a stable electron arrangement and makes them less likely to react with other elements.
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16.
The atomic number = the number of
Correct Answer protons
Explanation The atomic number of an element refers to the number of protons in the nucleus of its atom. Protons are positively charged particles that determine the element's identity. Each element has a unique atomic number, and it helps to classify and differentiate elements on the periodic table. Therefore, the statement "The atomic number = the number of protons" is correct as it accurately describes the relationship between the atomic number and the number of protons in an atom.
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17.
What units are used to weigh atoms?
A.
Amu
B.
G
C.
Mg
D.
Kg
E.
Gelliards
Correct Answer
A. Amu
Explanation Atoms are extremely small particles, so their weight is measured using a unit called atomic mass unit (amu). This unit is defined as one-twelfth the mass of a carbon-12 atom. Other units like grams (g), milligrams (mg), and kilograms (kg) are used to measure larger objects, while "gelliards" is not a recognized unit of measurement. Therefore, the correct unit to weigh atoms is amu.
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18.
A single proton has what electrical charge?
A.
No charge
B.
positive charge
C.
Both positive and negative
D.
Negative charge
E.
Either a positive or negative charge
Correct Answer
B. positive charge
Explanation A single proton has a positive charge because it contains one unit of positive electrical charge.
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19.
Which particles have approximately the same size and mass as each other?
A.
Neutrons and electrons
B.
Electrons and protons
C.
Protons and neutrons
D.
None - they are all very different in size and mass
E.
They all have the same mass
Correct Answer
C. Protons and neutrons
Explanation Protons and neutrons have approximately the same size and mass as each other. They are both subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom. Protons have a positive charge and neutrons have no charge, but they both have similar masses. Electrons, on the other hand, are much smaller and lighter than protons and neutrons. They orbit around the nucleus and have a negative charge. Therefore, the correct answer is protons and neutrons.
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20.
If an oxygen atom was expanded to the size of a sugar cube, how much would it weigh?
Explanation The weight of an oxygen atom is very small, so when it is expanded to the size of a sugar cube, it would still weigh a very small amount. The answer options provided are all in the billions of tons, indicating that the weight would be extremely large.
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21.
According to atomic theory, electrons are usually found:
A.
In the atomic nucleus.
B.
outside the nucleus, yet very near it because they are attracted to the protons.
C.
Everywhere, there is no place it cannot be.
D.
Either in the nucleus or around it - electrons are readily found anywhere in an atom
E.
Outside the nucleus and often far from it - most of an atom's volume is its electron cloud.
Correct Answer
E. Outside the nucleus and often far from it - most of an atom's volume is its electron cloud.
Explanation According to atomic theory, electrons are found outside the nucleus and often far from it. This is because most of an atom's volume is its electron cloud. The electron cloud is the region surrounding the nucleus where electrons are most likely to be found. This explanation is consistent with the understanding that electrons are negatively charged particles and are attracted to the positively charged protons in the nucleus, but they are not confined to the nucleus itself.
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22.
The element 3216S2- contains:
A.
18 protons and 16 neutrons
B.
16 protons and 16 electrons
C.
16 protons and 18 neutrons
D.
16 protons and 18 electrons
E.
18 electrons and 32 neutrons
Correct Answer
D. 16 protons and 18 electrons
Explanation The given element, 3216S2-, has a charge of -2, indicating that it has gained 2 electrons. Since the atomic number of sulfur (S) is 16, it means that the element has 16 protons. The number of neutrons can be calculated by subtracting the atomic number from the mass number, which is 32 in this case. Therefore, the element contains 16 protons and 18 electrons.
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23.
Alpha particles have a charge of ...
Correct Answer +2 + 2
Explanation The correct answer is +2. Alpha particles are made up of two protons and two neutrons, giving them a charge of +2. The repetition of +2 in the given answer may be a typographical error or redundancy, as it is unnecessary to state the charge twice.
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24.
Beta particles have a charge of ...
Correct Answer -1 - 1
Explanation The correct answer is -1. Beta particles are high-energy electrons or positrons that are emitted during certain types of radioactive decay. These particles have a negative charge of -1, which means they carry one unit of negative electric charge. The repetition of -1 in the answer may be a typographical error or a formatting issue.
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25.
Which type of radiation is the most dangerous to humans?
Correct Answer gamma
Explanation Gamma radiation is the most dangerous form of radiation to humans because it is highly penetrating and can easily pass through the body, causing damage to cells and DNA. Unlike alpha and beta particles, which can be stopped by a sheet of paper or a few millimeters of skin, gamma radiation requires thicker shielding, such as lead or concrete, to protect against its harmful effects. Exposure to gamma radiation can lead to various health issues, including radiation sickness, cancer, and even death.
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26.
Which radioactive particle has the largest mass?
Correct Answer alpha
Explanation The alpha particle has the largest mass among the given options. Alpha particles are made up of two protons and two neutrons, which gives them a mass of approximately four atomic mass units (AMU). In comparison, beta particles (not mentioned in the options) are high-energy electrons or positrons with a much smaller mass. Therefore, the alpha particle has the largest mass.
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27.
Explain how Aristotle did more to harm the development of the the atomic theory than help it.
28.
Describe Rutherford's famous experiment and three things he figured out from it.
29.
What are the four parts of Dalton's Atomic Theory?
Zohra Sattar Waxali |PhD (Chemistry)|
Chemistry
Dr. Zohra Sattar Waxali earned her doctorate in chemistry and biochemistry from Northwestern University, specializing in the metallomes of cardiac cells and stem cells, and their impact on biological function. Her research encompasses the development of arsenoplatin chemotherapeutics, stapled peptide estrogen receptor inhibitors, and antimicrobial natural products.
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