Chemistry Unit 2 Review: Periodic Table and Electromagnetic Spectrum

Vocabulary flashcards covering periodic table families, trends, electron configuration principles, and electromagnetic radiation formulas from Chemistry Unit 2.

Periods

Horizontal rows on the periodic table that correspond to the number of orbitals an element possesses.

Groups

Vertical columns on the periodic table containing elements that share the same number of valence electrons and similar chemical characteristics.

Valence Electrons

Electrons in the outermost energy level of an atom that determine its chemical reactivity and property trends within groups.

Aufbau Principle

An electron configuration rule stating that electrons occupy the atomic orbitals of lowest energy levels first before filling higher ones.

Pauli Exclusion Principle

An electron configuration rule stating that an orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons, and those electrons must have opposite spins.

Hund's Rule

An electron configuration rule stating that single electrons with the same spin must occupy each equal-energy orbital before additional electrons with opposite spins pair up.

Electronegativity

A measure of the ability of an atom in a chemical compound to attract electrons.

Ionization Energy

The amount of energy required to remove an electron from a gaseous atom or ion.

Atomic Radius

One-half the distance between the nuclei of identical atoms that are bonded together, describing overall atomic size.

Halogens

Group 17 elements on the periodic table that possess $7$ valence electrons.

Noble Gases

Group 18 elements characterized by having full valence shell configurations and low electronegativity.

Photon

A quantum or discrete particle of electromagnetic radiation carrying energy proportional to its frequency.

Periodic Table

A tabular arrangement of chemical elements organized by atomic number, electron configuration, and recurring chemical properties.

Electromagnetic Spectrum

The full range of electromagnetic radiation frequencies and wavelengths, extending from radio waves to gamma rays.

Speed of Light Constant ($c$)

The universal physical constant equal to $3.00 \times 10^8\text{ m/s}$, relating frequency ($f$) and wavelength ($\frac{}{}$): $c = f\frac{}{}$

Planck's Constant ($h$)

A fundamental physical constant equal to $6.63 \times 10^{-34}\text{ J}\frac{}{\text{s}}$, used to calculate photon energy: $E = h f$