Interpreting Orbital Diagrams

What energy level is partially full?

• 1

• 2s

• 3

• 3p

Answer explanation

Energy levels are just like the floors in the boarding house model, so they are either 1, 2, or 3.

Energy levels 1 and 2 are full.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-1

What sublevel is only partially full?

• 3p

• 3

• 2s

• 1

Answer explanation

Sublevels are the letters, either s or p. To be specific about what sublevel, we also include the energy level in front of it, which is why the answer is 3p.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-1

NGSS.HS-PS1-2

How many orbitals are in this orbital diagram?

• 9

• 15

• 5

• 10

Answer explanation

Orbitals are the individual boxes. There are 9 boxes in this diagram.

How many electrons are in this orbital diagram?

• 7

• 13

• 10

• 8

Answer explanation

Electrons are represented by the arrows. If you count the arrows, there are 13.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-1

How many orbitals are filled in the 2p sublevel?

• 3

• 0

• 1

• 2

Answer explanation

Remember that orbitals are the boxes. So, in the 2p sublevel there are 2 boxes that have arrows in them.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-1

Which of the following sublevels has an electron in it?

• 3p

• 1s

• 2p

• 3s

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-1

NGSS.HS-PS1-2

True or false: the 3rd energy level is empty.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Remember that the 3rd energy level includes both the s and p sublevel. The 3s sublevel has electrons in it, so the 3rd energy level isn't empty.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-1

True or false: All of the s-sublevels are completely full.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

The s sublevels can hold 2 electrons. Looking at the 3s sublevel, it only has 1 electron, so it is NOT completely full.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-1

How many orbitals in this orbital digram are not completely full?

• 7

• 5

• 2

• 4

Answer explanation

Remember that orbitals are the boxes. Each box is completely full when there are 2 electrons (arrows) in it. This means that there are 4 empty orbitals as well as 3 partially empty orbitals, so there are 7 total that are not completely full.

True or false: both the 3rd and 2nd energy levels have space for more electrons.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

The 2p sublevel, which is located in the 2nd energy level, still has room for 3 electrons! The third energy level is completely empty, so there is plenty of space for electrons to hangout!!

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-1

NGSS.HS-PS1-2