MCAT General Chemistry Complete
Questions And Answers
Atomic Number (Z) CORRECT ANSWERS # of Protons
Mass Number (A) CORRECT ANSWERS # of protons + # of neutrons
Charge (c) CORRECT ANSWERS Number of protons - # of electrons
Does energy increase or decrease with distance from the nucleus? CORRECT
ANSWERS Increase
Does distance increase or decrease with distance from the nucleus? CORRECT
ANSWERS Decrease
Quantum number n CORRECT ANSWERS Describes the radial distance of an
electron's orbit from the nucleus
Absorption (Absorbing a photon) CORRECT ANSWERS -Positive change in energy
-Endothermic
-Jump to a higher energy level
Emission (Emitting a photon) CORRECT ANSWERS -Negative change in energy
-Exothermic
-Drop to a lower energy level
Energy of Photon Equation CORRECT ANSWERS Ephoton = Ef - Ei
Energy of Photon in Relation to Wavelength and Frequency Equation CORRECT
ANSWERS E = hf = hc/λ
-h is a constant
-c is the speed of light
Orbital Energies CORRECT ANSWERS Increase with complexity of orbital shape
(s<p<d<f)
Degenerate CORRECT ANSWERS Same energy
Aufbau Principle CORRECT ANSWERS Describes how electrons are added to or
removed from orbitals of different energy
Hund's Rule CORRECT ANSWERS Describes how electrons are added to or removed
from orbitals of the same energy
,Pauli Principle CORRECT ANSWERS Describes the carrying capacity of an orbital
Valence Electrons CORRECT ANSWERS In highest energy shell
Where are electrons added to? CORRECT ANSWERS From lowest to highest energy
orbitals
Where are electrons removed from? CORRECT ANSWERS -From highest to lowest
energy orbitals
-Exception: 4s valence electrons are removed before 3d non-valence electrons
Paramagnetic CORRECT ANSWERS At least one unpaired electron (attracted by
magnet)
Diamagnetic CORRECT ANSWERS All electrons are paired (repelled by magnet)
Ground State CORRECT ANSWERS Lowest energy electron configuration
Electron Configuration Exceptions CORRECT ANSWERS -Chromium: [Ar] 4s1 3d5
-Copper: [Ar] 4s1 3d10
Same Group Elements (going down) CORRECT ANSWERS Similar reactivity
Have No Fear Of Ice Cold Beer CORRECT ANSWERS -H = gas
-N = gas
-F = gas
-O = gas
-I = solid (ice)
-Ch = gas
-Br = liquid (beer)
Effective Nuclear Charge CORRECT ANSWERS Nuclear charge experienced by
valence electrons
Moving down a group... CORRECT ANSWERS -Core electrons are added at the same
rate as protons (Zeff is constant)
-Number of valence electrons remains the same (C remains zero)
-Size of the valence shell increased (n increases)
-Fe decreases
Moving left to right across a row... CORRECT ANSWERS -Number of core electrons
remain constant while protons are added (Zeff increases)
-Valence electrons are added at the same rate as protons (C remains zero)
-Size of the valence shell remains constant (n remains constant)
-Fe increase
, Moving from positive to negative charge... CORRECT ANSWERS -Number of core
electrons and protons remains constant (Zeff remains constant)
-Number of valence electrons increases while the number of protons remains constant
(C becomes more negative)
-Size of valence shell remains constant (n remains the same)
-Fe decrease with increasing negative charge
Atomic Radius Trend CORRECT ANSWERS -Increases going down a group
-Decreases going left to right
Ionic Radius Trend CORRECT ANSWERS -Increases with increasing negative charge
Ionization Energy CORRECT ANSWERS -Minimum amount of energy required to
remove the outer most electron from an atom in its gaseous state
-Increases with more positive charge
Ionization Energy Trend CORRECT ANSWERS - Increases going up a group
-Increases going left to right
Electron Affinity CORRECT ANSWERS Energy change when adding an electron to the
valence shell of an atom in its gaseous state
Electron Affinity Trend CORRECT ANSWERS -Increases going up a group
-Increases going left to right
Electronegativity CORRECT ANSWERS Ability of an atom to attract electrons to itself in
a covalent bond
Electronegativity Trend CORRECT ANSWERS -Increases going up a group
-Increases going left to
right
-F>O>N>Cl>Br>I>S>C~H
Lewis Dot Structures CORRECT ANSWERS -Valence electrons (neg. charge = +1 e-
and pos. charge = -1 e-)
-Arrange for least electronegative atom in the center
-Positive charges on less electroneg. atoms
-Negative charges on more electroneg. atoms
Geometric Shape Of Bond CORRECT ANSWERS -2 groups = sp = linear
-3 groups = sp2 = trigonal planar
-4 groups = sp3 = tetrahedral
Strength of Chemical Bond CORRECT ANSWERS -More electrons shared = stronger
bond
-Shorter distance between atoms = stronger bond
Questions And Answers
Atomic Number (Z) CORRECT ANSWERS # of Protons
Mass Number (A) CORRECT ANSWERS # of protons + # of neutrons
Charge (c) CORRECT ANSWERS Number of protons - # of electrons
Does energy increase or decrease with distance from the nucleus? CORRECT
ANSWERS Increase
Does distance increase or decrease with distance from the nucleus? CORRECT
ANSWERS Decrease
Quantum number n CORRECT ANSWERS Describes the radial distance of an
electron's orbit from the nucleus
Absorption (Absorbing a photon) CORRECT ANSWERS -Positive change in energy
-Endothermic
-Jump to a higher energy level
Emission (Emitting a photon) CORRECT ANSWERS -Negative change in energy
-Exothermic
-Drop to a lower energy level
Energy of Photon Equation CORRECT ANSWERS Ephoton = Ef - Ei
Energy of Photon in Relation to Wavelength and Frequency Equation CORRECT
ANSWERS E = hf = hc/λ
-h is a constant
-c is the speed of light
Orbital Energies CORRECT ANSWERS Increase with complexity of orbital shape
(s<p<d<f)
Degenerate CORRECT ANSWERS Same energy
Aufbau Principle CORRECT ANSWERS Describes how electrons are added to or
removed from orbitals of different energy
Hund's Rule CORRECT ANSWERS Describes how electrons are added to or removed
from orbitals of the same energy
,Pauli Principle CORRECT ANSWERS Describes the carrying capacity of an orbital
Valence Electrons CORRECT ANSWERS In highest energy shell
Where are electrons added to? CORRECT ANSWERS From lowest to highest energy
orbitals
Where are electrons removed from? CORRECT ANSWERS -From highest to lowest
energy orbitals
-Exception: 4s valence electrons are removed before 3d non-valence electrons
Paramagnetic CORRECT ANSWERS At least one unpaired electron (attracted by
magnet)
Diamagnetic CORRECT ANSWERS All electrons are paired (repelled by magnet)
Ground State CORRECT ANSWERS Lowest energy electron configuration
Electron Configuration Exceptions CORRECT ANSWERS -Chromium: [Ar] 4s1 3d5
-Copper: [Ar] 4s1 3d10
Same Group Elements (going down) CORRECT ANSWERS Similar reactivity
Have No Fear Of Ice Cold Beer CORRECT ANSWERS -H = gas
-N = gas
-F = gas
-O = gas
-I = solid (ice)
-Ch = gas
-Br = liquid (beer)
Effective Nuclear Charge CORRECT ANSWERS Nuclear charge experienced by
valence electrons
Moving down a group... CORRECT ANSWERS -Core electrons are added at the same
rate as protons (Zeff is constant)
-Number of valence electrons remains the same (C remains zero)
-Size of the valence shell increased (n increases)
-Fe decreases
Moving left to right across a row... CORRECT ANSWERS -Number of core electrons
remain constant while protons are added (Zeff increases)
-Valence electrons are added at the same rate as protons (C remains zero)
-Size of the valence shell remains constant (n remains constant)
-Fe increase
, Moving from positive to negative charge... CORRECT ANSWERS -Number of core
electrons and protons remains constant (Zeff remains constant)
-Number of valence electrons increases while the number of protons remains constant
(C becomes more negative)
-Size of valence shell remains constant (n remains the same)
-Fe decrease with increasing negative charge
Atomic Radius Trend CORRECT ANSWERS -Increases going down a group
-Decreases going left to right
Ionic Radius Trend CORRECT ANSWERS -Increases with increasing negative charge
Ionization Energy CORRECT ANSWERS -Minimum amount of energy required to
remove the outer most electron from an atom in its gaseous state
-Increases with more positive charge
Ionization Energy Trend CORRECT ANSWERS - Increases going up a group
-Increases going left to right
Electron Affinity CORRECT ANSWERS Energy change when adding an electron to the
valence shell of an atom in its gaseous state
Electron Affinity Trend CORRECT ANSWERS -Increases going up a group
-Increases going left to right
Electronegativity CORRECT ANSWERS Ability of an atom to attract electrons to itself in
a covalent bond
Electronegativity Trend CORRECT ANSWERS -Increases going up a group
-Increases going left to
right
-F>O>N>Cl>Br>I>S>C~H
Lewis Dot Structures CORRECT ANSWERS -Valence electrons (neg. charge = +1 e-
and pos. charge = -1 e-)
-Arrange for least electronegative atom in the center
-Positive charges on less electroneg. atoms
-Negative charges on more electroneg. atoms
Geometric Shape Of Bond CORRECT ANSWERS -2 groups = sp = linear
-3 groups = sp2 = trigonal planar
-4 groups = sp3 = tetrahedral
Strength of Chemical Bond CORRECT ANSWERS -More electrons shared = stronger
bond
-Shorter distance between atoms = stronger bond
