Chapter 7: Atomic Structure and Periodicity

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and concepts from Chapter 7, focused on atomic structure and periodicity.

Electromagnetic Radiation

A form of energy that travels through space as waves, including visible light, X-rays, and microwaves.

Wavelength (λ)

The distance between two consecutive peaks or troughs in a wave.

Frequency (ν)

The number of waves (cycles) that pass a given point in space per second.

Planck's Constant (h)

A fundamental constant used to describe the sizes of quanta of energy, valued at approximately 6.626 x 10^-34 J·s.

Quantum

The smallest discrete quantity of energy that can be emitted or absorbed.

Photoelectric Effect

The emission of electrons from a material when it is illuminated with light of sufficient frequency.

Threshold Frequency (ν₀)

The minimum frequency of light required to eject an electron from the surface of a metal.

Bohr Model

An early quantum model of the hydrogen atom proposing that electrons move in fixed orbits around the nucleus.

Quantum Mechanical Model

The modern description of atomic structure that treats electrons as wave functions and incorporates principles of quantum mechanics.

Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle

A fundamental theory stating that it is impossible to precisely know both the position and momentum of a particle at the same time.

Orbital

A mathematical function describing the wave-like behavior of an electron in an atom, commonly visualized as a probability density map.

Quantum Numbers

A set of numbers (n, l, mₗ) that describe the properties and behavior of atomic orbitals.

Radial Probability Distribution

A representation of the likelihood of finding an electron at various distances from the nucleus.

Line Spectrum

A spectrum showing only specific wavelengths of light emitted or absorbed by an atom; indicative of quantized energy levels.