Atomic Properties Menu

Revises the simple knowledge you should already have about the structure of atoms from introductory courses (e.g. GCSE).

Explains what atomic orbitals are and discusses their shapes and relative energies. This is essential pre-reading before you go on to any of the remaining topics in this section.

How to work out and write the electronic structures for atoms using s, p, d notation.

How to work out and write the electronic structures for simple monatomic ions (containing only one atom – e.g. Cl^- or Mg²⁺) using s, p, d notation.

Explains what ionisation energies are and how and why they vary around the Periodic Table.

Explains what second, third, (etc) ionisation energy means, and then looks at patterns in successive ionisation energies for selected elements. It assumes that you understand about first ionisation energy.

An introduction to the atomic hydrogen emission spectrum, and how it can be used to find the ionisation energy of hydrogen.

Explains what electron affinities are and how and why they vary around the Periodic Table.

Looks at the various measures of atomic radius, and explains how and why atomic radii vary around the Periodic Table. Also considers how the radii of positive and negative ions differ from the atoms they come from.

Looks at some of the problems with the usual way of explaining the electronic structures of the d-block elements based on the order of filling of the d and s orbitals.

Explaining why the idea that electrons orbit a nucleus like planets around the sun is wrong.