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Over the years I have learned that most of the textbooks out there present the electronic structure of atoms all backwards. First they present the theory and then the data that supports that theory. I'm of the mind that our young scientists can decipher data just fine, so this unit is all about analysis and building models to predict chemical patterns. Most of the activities in this unit are modified from Flinn P.O.G.I.L. books (high school and AP versions)or Moog's Chemistry: A Guided Inquiry. The lessons are all inspired by Chapter 3: The Structure of the Atom, from Chemistry: Structure & Dymanics by Spencer, Bodner, and Rickard, who have written a reasonable order of topics.
There's a lot of reading in this unit. This is a great time to remind students about the Cornell Note taking strategy. Reading is an active process if you have any hope of moving information from short term memory into long term memory!
Electromagnetic Radiation
Electromagnetic Radiation
The Bohr Model
The Bohr Model
Demonstration: The Line Spectra of Hydrogen
The phet simulation: https://phet.colorado.edu/ku_TR/simulations/hydrogen-atom
Notes: A Model of the Hydrogen Atom, Filled Out
Worksheets:
Review 2019 #3 a-e Solution Stoichiometry, Answers
Homework Reading:
Coulomb's Law
Coulomb's Law
This law of physics has some pretty interesting applications in the AP Chemistry curriculum. Unfortunately, our textbook only briefly mentions it, assuming that most students have taken physics that includes electrostatics. As this is usually not the case, we will take a day to see how the electrostatic force can help us refine our model of atoms other than hydrogen.
Group Activity: Coulombic Potential Energy
Worksheets:
Ionization Energy and Atomic Radius Trends
Ionization Energy and Atomic Radius Trends
Day 1:
Warm-up: What if all atoms were the same size?
Reference: The First Ionization Energies of Elements 1-84 (source, CRC)
Group Activity: Ionization Energy, The Shell Model Part 1
Graph Cards Handout (needs to be cut)
Worksheets:
Structuring FRQ Responses: Coulomb's Law, Answers
Simple Ionization Energy Trends, Answers
Day 2:
Inquiry Notes: Effective Nuclear Charge, The Shell Model Part 2
Worksheets:
Photoelectron Spectroscopy
Photoelectron Spectroscopy
Inquiry Notes:
Photoelectron Spectroscopy PES, Filled Out
Worksheets:
Trends-Orbitals Explain Deviations, Answers
Aufbau Diagrams and Electron Configurations
Aufbau Diagrams and Electron Configurations
Notes: Electron Configurations, Filled Out
New Rule: If you are going to use Coulomb's law to explain a periodic trend, write an electron configuration for each element or ion in your response. The principle quantum number, n, is your justification for the size of the radius being larger or smaller for elements within a group/family.
Worksheets:
Create Your Own Electron Configuration Practice
Electron Configurations 1, Answers
Visualizing Atomic Orbitals
Visualizing Atomic Orbitals
Video great from the beginning until 4:32.
Test Prep Resources
Multiple-Choice
Multiple-Choice
AP Multiple-Choice Practice Problems, Answers
Notice that the multiple-choice questions look very much like the free-response questions for this topic. Spend the majority of your study time on the available free-response house points.
Free Response
Free Response
Used as review in later units:
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