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E.1 Structure of the atom - IB Questionbank | RevisionDojo

Practice E.1 Structure of the atom with authentic IB Physics exam questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank mirrors Paper 1A, 1B, 2 structure, covering key topics like mechanics, thermodynamics, and waves. Get instant solutions, detailed explanations, and build exam confidence with questions in the style of IB examiners.

Paper

Level

Question 1

SLPaper 2

The hydrogen atom can be modelled using the Bohr model.

Calculate the wavelength of light emitted when an electron transitions from the $n=5$ level to the $n=2$ level.

[3]

Sketch an energy level diagram showing this transition and label all levels from $n = 1$ to $n = 5$ .

[2]

Explain, using the Bohr model, why the energy levels become closer together at higher values of $n$ .

[2]

Question 2

SLPaper 1A

In the Bohr model, which of the following best describes the motion of electrons?

Question 3

SLPaper 1A

Which of the following is a feature of both the Rutherford model and the Bohr model?

Question 4

SLPaper 1A

Which of the following cannot be deduced from the results of the Geiger-Marsden-Rutherford experiment?

Question 5

SLPaper 1A

Electrons transition between energy states for $n=1,2,3,4,5$ in an atom. Some data regarding the photons emitted in the transitions is shown below.

Transition	Wavelength of Emitted Photon
5 → 1	$240\ \mathrm{nm}$
4 → 3	$710\ \mathrm{nm}$
3 → 1	$280\ \mathrm{nm}$
5 → 2	$310\ \mathrm{nm}$

What is the wavelength of the photon emitted in the transition between $n=3$ and $n=2$ ?

Question 6

HLPaper 1A

A hydrogen atom absorbs a photon of energy $12.1\ \mathrm{eV}$ . To which energy level is the electron most likely excited?

Question 7

HLPaper 1A

Which experiment provided direct evidence for the wave nature of electrons?

Question 8

HLPaper 2

Hydrogen atoms are confined in a chamber, with their electrons in the ground state. An electric current is run through the chamber which excites the electrons inside to the third excited state.

Draw a diagram to represent this change.

[2]

The current is turned off and the electrons are allowed to fall back down to lower energy levels.

Outline what is meant by an emission spectrum.

[2]

State the number of discrete lines in the emission spectrum produced by the hydrogen gas.

[1]

For a single hydrogen atom with an electron in the third excited state, state the number of ways it can return to the ground state by releasing $2$ photons.

[1]

For a system of four of the hydrogen atoms $A$ , $B$ , $C$ , and $D$ , explain why there are $8$ ways for exactly $11$ photons to be emitted in the transition back to the ground state.

[3]

Question 9

HLPaper 2

In a head-on scattering experiment, an alpha particle with kinetic energy of 6.0 MeV is directed towards a gold nucleus ( $Z=79$ ).

Calculate the distance of closest approach for the alpha particle to the gold nucleus.

[3]

Explain why the alpha particle does not enter the nucleus. Use $k=9.0 \times 10^9 \mathrm{Nm}^2 / \mathrm{C}^2, e=$ $1.6 \times 10^{-19} \mathrm{C}$ , and the charge of the alpha particle as $2 e$ .

[2]

Question 10

SLPaper 1A

The energy-level diagram for an atom that has five energy states is shown below.

What is the number of different wavelengths in the emission spectrum of this atom?

E.1 Structure of the atom Questionbank