Periodic Table WS 2
Chemical Periodicity Practice Problems
H/Chemistry
For best practice, do not use your textbook to find the answers to the following questions. Do use a periodic table to find the location of the elements in each question.
1. Write the electron configurations for the elements in periods 2-4 of group 2 (2A).
Period 2: 1s22s2
Period 3: 1s22s22p63s2
Period 4: 1s22s22p63s23p64s2
2. Determine the group, period, and block for the elements with the following electron configurations:
a. [He]2s22p4 group 6A (16), period 2, p-block
b. [Xe]6s1 group 1A, period 6, s-block
c. [Ar]4s23d104p2 group 4A, period 4, p-block
3. Categorize each of the elements in problem 2 as a representative element or a transition element.
All are representative elements
4. Write the electron configuration of the element fitting each of the following descriptions.
Use noble gas configurations.
a. Group 8A element in the third period [Ne]3s23p6
b. Group 4A element in the fourth period [Ar]4s23d104p2
c. Halogen in the second period [He]2s22p5
d. Group 1A element in the fourth period [Ar]4s1
5. What are the noble gas configurations of all the elements with the following valence electron configurations?
a. s2 1s2, [He]2s2, [Ne]3s2, [Ar]4s2, [Kr]5s2, [Xe]6s2, [Rn]7s2
b. s2p1 [He]2s22p1, [Ne]3s23p1, [Ar]4s23d104p1, [Kr]5s24d105p1, [Xe]6s24f145d106p1
6. Chlorine, selenium, and bromine are located near each other on the periodic table.
Which of these elements is
a. the smallest atom? Cl
b. the atom with the highest ionization energy? Cl
7. Phosphorus, sulfur, and selenium are located near each other on the periodic tables.
Which of these elements is
a. the largest atom? Se
b. the atoms with the highest ionization energy? S
8. Scandium, yttrium, and lanthanum are located near each other on the periodic table.
Which of these elements is
a. the largest atom? La
b. The atom with the smallest ionization energy? La
9. a. Which of the following atoms is smallest: nitrogen, phosphorus or arsenic? N
b. Which of these atoms has the highest ionization energy? N
10. a. Which of the following atoms is smallest: nitrogen, phosphorus, or arsenic? N
b. Which of these atoms has the smallest ionization energy? As
11. Aluminum, silicon, and phosphorus are located near each other in the periodic table.
Which of these elements is
a. the largest atom? Al
b. the atom with the highest ionization energy? P
12. Rank the following atoms in order of decreasing radii.
a. Al, Na, P, S Na, Al, P, S
b. Al, Ga, In In, Ga, Al
c. As, Ge, Ga Ga, Ge, As
d. Br, Ca, Cl, K K, Ca, Br, Cl
13. Rank the following atoms in order of decreasing electronegativity
a. Na, Li, K Li, Na, K
b. K, Sc, Ca Sc, Ca, K
c. As, Sn, S S, As, Sn
14. Circle which element in the following pairs has the larger atomic radius.
a. Li, K b. Ca, Ni c. Ga, B d. O, C
e. Cl, Br f. Be, Ba g. Si, S h. Fe, Au
15. Circle which element in the following pairs has the greater ionization energy.
a. Na, O b. Be, Ba c. Ar, F d. Cu, Ra
e. I, Ne f. K, V g. Ca, Fr h. W, Se
16. Define atomic radius.
distance between the nuclei of two bonded atoms in a diatomic molecule divided by 2
17. Why do atoms get smaller as you move across a period?
constant shielding effect (i.e. same number of principal energy levels), but more positive charge
due to the increasing numbers of protons in the nucleus pulls on all electrons
18. Why is there such a large jump in ionization energy between the second and third ionization energies for
magnesium?
Noble gas configuration was reached; further electron removals require going down into the next
closest principal energy level to the nucleus
19. Define the term electronegativity. What is the periodic trend for electronegativity?
Electronegativity = the amount of pull an element has within a bond;
it decreases down a group and increases across a period
adapted from Glencoe Chemistry Matter and Change, 2002 and Prentice Hall Chemistry Connections to Our Changing World, 2000
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