Homework 1 MIE 201 Fall 10

CHAPTER 2

ATOMIC STRUCTURE AND INTERATOMIC BONDING

PROBLEM SOLUTIONS

2.4 Give the electron configurations for the following ions: P 5+, P3–, and Ni2+.

Solution

The electron configurations for the ions are determined using Table 2.2.

P5+: From Table 2.2, the electron configuration for at atom of phosphorus is 1s22s22p63s23p3. In order
to become an ion with a plus five charge, it must lose five electrons—in this case the 3s and 3p electrons. Thus,
the electron configuration for a P5+ ion is 1s22s22p6.
P3-: From Table 2.2, the electron configuration for at atom of phosphorus is 1 s22s22p63s23p3. In order
to become an ion with a minus three charge, it must acquire three electrons, which in this case will be added to
and fill the 3p subshell. Thus, the electron configuration for a P 3- ion is 1s22s22p63s23p6.
Ni2+: From Table 2.2, the electron configuration for at atom of nickel is 1 s22s22p63s23p63d84s2. In
order to become an ion with a plus two charge, it must lose two electrons—in this case the 4s electrons. Thus, the
electron configuration for an Ni 2+ ion is 1s22s22p63s23p63d8.

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 2.6 Without consulting Figure 2.6 or Table 2.2, determine whether each of the electron configurations
given below is an inert gas, a halogen, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, or a transition metal. Justify your
choices.
(a) 1s22s22p63s23p5

(b) 1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p6
(c) 1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p64d55s2

Solution

(a) The 1s22s22p63s23p5 electron configuration is that of a halogen because it is one electron deficient
from having a filled p subshell.
(b) The 1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p6 electron configuration is that of an inert gas because of filled 4s
and 4p subshells.
(c) The 1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p64d55s2 electron configuration is that of a transition metal because of
an incomplete d subshell.

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 2.11 (a) Briefly cite the main differences between ionic, covalent, and metallic bonding.
(b) State the Pauli exclusion principle.

Solution

(a) The main differences between the various forms of primary bonding are:
Ionic--there is electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions.
Covalent--there is electron sharing between two adjacent atoms such that each atom assumes a
stable electron configuration.
Metallic--the positively charged ion cores are shielded from one another, and also "glued"
together by the sea of valence electrons.
(b) The Pauli exclusion principle states that each electron state can hold no more than two electrons,
which must have opposite spins.

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 2.13 Using Table 2.2, determine the number of covalent bonds that are possible for atoms of the
following elements: silicon, nitrogen, and neon.

Solution

For silicon, having the valence electron structure 3s23p2, N' = 4; thus, there are 8 – N' = 4 covalent bonds
per atom.
For nitrogen, having the valence electron structure 2s22p3, N' = 5; thus, there are 8 – N' = 3 covalent
bonds per atom.
For neon, having the valence electron structure 2s22p6, N’ = 8; thus, there are 8 – N' = 0 covalent bonds
per atom, which is what we would expect since neon is an inert gas.

CHAPTER 3

STRUCTURES OF METALS AND CERAMICS

PROBLEM SOLUTIONS

Unit Cells
Metallic Crystal Structures

3.1 If the atomic radius of lead is 0.175 nm, calculate the volume of its unit cell in cubic meters.

Solution
Lead has an FCC crystal structure (Table 3.1). The FCC unit cell volume may be computed from
Equation 3.4 as

VC = 16R3 2 = (16) (0.175  10-9 m)3 ( 2 ) = 1.213  10-28 m3



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 3.2 Show that the atomic packing factor for BCC is 0.68.

Solution
The atomic packing factor is defined as the ratio of sphere volume to the total unit cell volume, or

VS
APF =
VC

Since there are two spheres associated with each unit cell for BCC

4R3  8R3
VS = 2 (sphere volume) = 2 
 3 =
  3

Also, the unit cell has cubic symmetry, that is VC = a3. But a depends on R according to Equation 3.3, and


4R 3 64 R3
VC =   =
 3  3 3
Thus,

 VS 8 R3 /3
APF = = = 0.68
VC 64 R3 /3 3



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