Basic Ideas About Atoms

What Basic Ideas About Atoms covers

Basic Ideas About Atoms is examined in Components 1 and 2, since the Core Ideas are examined on both written papers, and drawn on again in Component 3. It covers radioactive decay and nuclear equations, behaviour of α, β and γ radiation, half-life and radioactive decay calculations, radiation hazards and the uses of radioisotopes, ionisation energy and its variation between elements, successive ionisation energies and electronic structure, orbitals and electron configurations of elements 1 to 36, emission and absorption spectra and the hydrogen spectrum, E = hf and the convergence limit.

The 9 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

• Radioactive decay and nuclear equationsRadioactive decay, beta-minus particle in terms of what happens inside the nucleus and gamma radiation.Open →
• Behaviour of α, β and γ radiationAlpha particle, penetrating power of alpha radiation and penetrating power of beta radiation.Open →
• Half-life and radioactive decay calculationsHalf-life of a radioactive isotope and relationship between half-life and the decay constant.Open →
• Radiation hazards and the uses of radioisotopesRecall questions on the ionising hazard of α, β and γ radiation inside and outside the body, shielding and distance, the uses of radioisotopes in dating, medical imaging and tracing, radiotherapy, and both sides of the argument about nuclear medicine and radioactive waste.Open →
• Ionisation energy and its variation between elementsFirst ionisation energy of an element, second ionisation energy of an element and general rise in first ionisation energy across a period.Open →
• Successive ionisation energies and electronic structureRecall questions on what a successive ionisation energy is, why each is larger than the last, reading the group of an element from the big jumps in the sequence, the evidence for shells and subshells, and worked identifications from a set of successive values.Open →
• Orbitals and electron configurations of elements 1 to 36Atomic orbital, shape of an s orbital and shape and arrangement of the p orbitals in a sub-shell.Open →
• Emission and absorption spectraRecall questions on how a line emission spectrum arises from electron transitions between levels, how an absorption spectrum arises from the same gaps, why the lines converge at high frequency, the meaning of the convergence limit, and using E = hf to find an ionisation energy.Open →
• The hydrogen spectrum, E = hf and the convergence limitConvergence limit of a spectral series, relationship between the frequency and the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation and seen beyond the convergence limit of a series.Open →

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Take Basic Ideas About Atoms further

The same content, four other ways.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What is radioactive decay?

   Model answer

   Radioactive decay is the spontaneous breakdown of an unstable nucleus, which emits radiation and is left as a nucleus with a more stable arrangement of protons and neutrons.

2. 2

   What changes in mass number and atomic number accompany alpha decay?

   Model answer

   The mass number falls by four and the atomic number falls by two, because an alpha particle is a helium-4 nucleus containing two protons and two neutrons.

3. 3

   Write the nuclear equation for the alpha decay of uranium-238.

   Model answer

   The equation is ²³⁸₉₂U → ²³⁴₉₀Th + ⁴₂He.

4. 4

   What is a beta-minus particle in terms of what happens inside the nucleus?

   Model answer

   It is a fast-moving electron created when a neutron in the nucleus converts into a proton and an electron, the electron then being ejected.

5. 5

   What changes in mass number and atomic number accompany beta-minus decay?

   Model answer

   The mass number is unchanged and the atomic number rises by one.

6. 6

   Write the nuclear equation for the beta-minus decay of carbon-14.

   Model answer

   The equation is ¹⁴₆C → ¹⁴₇N + ⁰₋₁e.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

Basic Ideas About Atoms revision questions

What does Basic Ideas About Atoms cover in Eduqas A-Level Chemistry?

9 subtopics: radioactive decay and nuclear equations, behaviour of α, β and γ radiation, half-life and radioactive decay calculations, radiation hazards and the uses of radioisotopes, ionisation energy and its variation between elements, successive ionisation energies and electronic structure, orbitals and electron configurations of elements 1 to 36, emission and absorption spectra and the hydrogen spectrum, e = hf and the convergence limit. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.

How is Basic Ideas About Atoms organised?

By the Eduqas A410QS specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.