Edexcel A Level Chemistry (9CH0)

Topic 1
Atomic Structure
& The Periodic Table

Topic 1 establishes the foundation of atomic theory: subatomic particles, isotopes, mass spectrometry, electron configuration, ionisation energies and periodic trends. These ideas underpin every other topic in the course and explain how experimental evidence supports the modern model of the atom.

Exam Paper

Paper 1

9CH0/01 – Advanced Inorganic and Physical Chemistry

Specification Points

1 – 26

26 points covered

Topic Parts

5 parts

Revision notes available

Exam Board

Edexcel

Pearson 9CH0

Revision Notes

Select a section to begin revising.

Atoms and isotopes

Atomic
Structure

protons, neutrons, electrons and isotopes

Atomic Structure

Subatomic particles, relative mass and charge, atomic number, mass number, isotopes, relative isotopic mass and relative atomic mass.

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Spectra and abundance

Mass
Spectrometry

RAM, diatomic spectra and molecular ions

Mass Spectrometry

Interpreting mass spectra, calculating relative atomic mass from isotope abundance, predicting diatomic spectra and determining relative molecular mass.

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Orbitals and subshells

Electron
Configuration

s, p, d subshells, orbital notation and blocks

Electron Configuration

Quantum shells, s and p orbital shapes, sub-shells, electrons-in-boxes notation, electronic configurations up to Z = 36 and s, p, d block classification.

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Energy and shielding

Ionisation
Energy

first IE, successive IE, proton number and shielding

Ionisation Energy

First and successive ionisation energies, influence of proton number, electron shielding and sub-shell, and evidence for electronic structure.

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Repeating patterns

Periodic
Trends

melting temperatures, ionisation energy and periodicity

Periodic Trends

Periodicity, trends in melting and boiling temperatures of periods 2 and 3, ionisation energy trends and using data to illustrate periodic properties.

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Summary map

Download, print and revise the key facts of this topic at a glance.

Summary map · PDF

Atoms and Mass Spectrometry Map

Edexcel A Level Chemistry · Topic 1 Atomic Structure · Atoms and Mass Spectrometry

The whole section on one A4 page: sub-atomic particles, isotopes, the mass spectrometer, relative isotopic, atomic and formula masses, and the spectra of molecules.

Download the map6 key ideas + a data table · A4 portrait · print ready

Summary map · PDF

Electronic Configuration Map

Edexcel A Level Chemistry · Topic 1 Atomic Structure · Electronic Configuration

The whole section on one A4 page: orbitals and spin, s and p shapes, sub-shells, the filling order, 1s notation and boxes, s- and p-block ions and blocks.

Download the map6 key ideas + a data table · A4 portrait · print ready

Summary map · PDF

Ionisation Energies and Periodicity Map

Edexcel A Level Chemistry · Topic 1 Atomic Structure · Ionisation Energies and Periodicity

The whole section on one A4 page: ionisation energies and their factors, successive IEs and emission spectra, trends, atomic radius and melting temperatures.

Download the map6 key ideas + a data table · A4 portrait · print ready

Virtual Lessons

Watch
& learn

5 video lessons

With the course

Virtual Lessons

Taught step by step in 5 recorded video lessons, to watch at your own pace.

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Topic 1 Atomic Structure and The Periodic Table taught by a specialist chemistry teacher, in 5 recorded video lessons that follow the specification.

Learn it before you revise itEach lesson explains the chemistry step by step, with the diagrams, mechanisms and worked examples the exam expects.
At your own pacePause, rewind and rewatch any part. Each lesson opens where you stopped.
Your progress is keptA lesson is ticked off once you have watched most of it, here and in your course on Moodle.

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Multiple Choice Question Exam Practice

Test yourself: 8 MCQ papers

Exam-style multiple-choice papers, marked the moment you submit with every answer explained. MCQ (A) is free.

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8 exam-style multiple-choice papers, MCQ (A) to (H): 155 questions on Topic 1 Atomic Structure and The Periodic Table, written the way the exam asks them.

Marked the moment you submitYour score straight away, with every answer explained, right or wrong.
Revise what you missedEach explanation links to the revision notes for that point.
MCQ (A) is freeTry the first paper now. MCQ (B) to (H) come with the course.

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Exam Practice Questions

Written and drawn answers: 9 papers

Draw, write and calculate the way the exam asks, then a specialist chemistry teacher marks your work.

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9 exam papers, (A) to (I): 133 questions on Topic 1 Atomic Structure and The Periodic Table with no multiple choice. You write explanations, work out calculations and draw answers: structures, mechanisms and diagrams.

Answer the way the exam asksThe real paper wants written, worked and drawn answers, so that is how you practise.
Marked by a teacher, assisted by KASPA specialist chemistry teacher marks every answer against the mark scheme, with feedback on what to fix.
One paper marked each weekYour marked paper comes back here with every marking point shown.

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Specification

Specification Coverage

Topic 1 Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table – Edexcel A Level Chemistry (9CH0)

The following specification points outline the knowledge and skills students are expected to demonstrate for Topic 1. All points are assessed in Paper 1 (9CH0/01).

Atomic Structure

know the structure of an atom in terms of electrons, protons and neutrons

know the relative mass and relative charge of protons, neutrons and electrons

know what is meant by the terms atomic (proton) number and mass number

be able to determine the number of each type of sub-atomic particle in an atom, molecule or ion from the atomic (proton) number and mass number

understand the term isotopes

be able to define the terms relative isotopic mass and relative atomic mass, based on the ¹²C scale

understand the terms relative molecular mass and relative formula mass, including calculating these values from relative atomic masses. The term relative formula mass should be used for compounds with giant structures.

Mass Spectrometry

be able to analyse and interpret data from mass spectrometry to calculate relative atomic mass from relative abundance of isotopes and vice versa

be able to predict the mass spectra, including relative peak heights, for diatomic molecules, including chlorine

understand how mass spectrometry can be used to determine the relative molecular mass of a molecule. Limited to the m/z value for the molecular ion, M⁺, giving the relative molecular mass of the molecule.

Electron Configuration

understand how ideas about electronic configuration developed from:

the fact that atomic emission spectra provide evidence for the existence of quantum shells

the fact that successive ionisation energies provide evidence for the existence of quantum shells and the group to which the element belongs

iii

the fact that the first ionisation energy of successive elements provides evidence for electron sub-shells

know the number of electrons that can fill the first four quantum shells

know that an orbital is a region within an atom that can hold up to two electrons with opposite spins

know the shape of an s-orbital and a p-orbital

know the number of electrons that occupy s, p and d sub-shells

know that electrons fill sub-shells singly, before pairing up, and that two electrons in the same orbital must have opposite spins

be able to predict the electronic configurations, using 1s notation and electrons-in-boxes notation, of:

atoms, given the atomic number Z, up to Z = 36

ions, given the atomic number Z, and the ionic charge, for s and p block ions only, up to Z = 36

know that elements can be classified as s, p and d-block elements

understand that electronic configuration determines the chemical properties of an element

Ionisation Energy

be able to define the terms first ionisation energy and successive ionisation energies

understand how ionisation energies are influenced by the number of protons, the electron shielding and the electron sub-shell from which the electron is removed

understand reasons for the general increase in first ionisation energy across a period

understand reasons for the decrease in first ionisation energy down a group

Periodic Trends

understand periodicity in terms of a repeating pattern across different periods

understand reasons for the trends in the following properties of the elements from periods 2 and 3 of the Periodic Table:

the melting and boiling temperatures of the elements, based on given data, in terms of structure and bonding

ionisation energy based on given data or recall of the plots of ionisation energy versus atomic number

be able to illustrate periodicity using data, including electronic configurations, atomic radii, melting and boiling temperatures and first ionisation energies

Topic 1Atomic Structure& The Periodic Table

Revision Notes

Summary map

Virtual Lessons

Multiple Choice Question Exam Practice

Exam Practice Questions

Specification

Topic 1 Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table – Edexcel A Level Chemistry (9CH0)

Atomic Structure

Mass Spectrometry

Electron Configuration

Ionisation Energy

Periodic Trends

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Topic 1
Atomic Structure
& The Periodic Table