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1. Silicon has three stable isotopes, Si, Si and Si. The heaviest isotope, Si, has a percentage
abundance of 3.1 %. Calculate the percentage abundance of the lightest isotope to one decimal
place.

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(Total 2 marks)

2. Identify a radioactive isotope of carbon and state one of its uses.

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(Total 1 mark)

x y
3. The electron configuration of chromium can be expressed as [Ar]4s 3d .

(i) Explain what the square brackets around argon, [Ar], represent.

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(1)

(ii) State the values of x and y.

x: ..................................................................................................................................

y: ..................................................................................................................................
(1)

IB Questionbank Chemistry 1
 (iii) Annotate the diagram below showing the 4s and 3d orbitals for a chromium atom using
an arrow, and , to represent a spinning electron.

4s 3d
(1)
(Total 3 marks)

4. (a) Define the term relative atomic mass (Ar).

(1)

(b) Relative atomic masses are obtained using a mass spectrometer. Draw a simple annotated
diagram of the mass spectrometer.
(5)
(Total 6 marks)

5. The relative atomic mass of naturally occurring copper is 63.55. Calculate the abundances of
63 65
Cu and Cu in naturally occurring copper.
(Total 2 marks)

IB Questionbank Chemistry 2
6. The graph below represents the successive ionization energies of sodium. The vertical axis plots
log (ionization energy) instead of ionization energy to allow the data to be represented without
using an unreasonably long vertical axis.

State the full electron configuration of sodium and explain how the successive ionization energy
data for sodium are related to its electron configuration.
(Total 4 marks)

7. Iron has three main naturally occurring isotopes which can be investigated using a mass
spectrometer.

The first stage in the operation of the mass spectrometer is vaporization. The iron is then
ionized.

(i) Explain why the iron is ionized.

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(2)

IB Questionbank Chemistry 3
 (ii) Explain why a very low pressure is maintained inside the mass spectrometer.

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(1)
(Total 3 marks)

8. A sample of iron has the following isotopic composition by mass.

Isotope 54 56 57
Fe Fe Fe
Relative abundance / % 5.95 91.88 2.17

Calculate the relative atomic mass of iron based on this data, giving your answer to two
decimal places.

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(Total 2 marks)

9. Magnesium is the eighth most abundant element in the earth’s crust. The successive ionization
energies of the element are shown below.

IB Questionbank Chemistry 4
 (i) Define the term first ionization energy and state the equation for the first ionization of
magnesium.
(3)

(ii) Explain the general increase in successive ionization energies of the element.
(2)

(iii) Explain the large increase between the tenth and eleventh ionization energies.
(3)
(Total 8 marks)

10. (i) Describe and explain the operation of a mass spectrometer.

(5)

(ii) State three factors that affect the degree of deflection of ions in a mass spectrometer.
(3)

(iii) Strontium exists as four naturally-occurring isotopes. Calculate the relative atomic mass
of strontium to two decimal places from the following data.

Isotope Percentage abundance

Sr-84 0.56
Sr-86 9.90
Sr-87 7.00
Sr-88 82.54
(2)
(Total 10 marks)

IB Questionbank Chemistry 5
11. The graph of the first ionization energy plotted against atomic number for the first twenty
elements shows periodicity.

(i) Define the term first ionization energy and state what is meant by the term periodicity.
(2)

(ii) Explain how information from this graph provides evidence for the existence of main
energy levels and sub-levels within atoms.
(4)

(iii) State what is meant by the term second ionization energy.

(1)

(iv) Sketch and explain the shape of the graph obtained for the successive ionization energies
of potassium using a logarithmic scale for ionization energy on the y-axis against number
of electrons removed on the x-axis.
(4)
(Total 11 marks)

IB Questionbank Chemistry 6
12. Describe the emission spectrum of hydrogen. Outline how this spectrum is related to the energy
levels in the hydrogen atom.

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(Total 3 marks)

IB Questionbank Chemistry 7