Recent Article In Scientific American Notes That Life Would

A Recent Article Inscientific Americannotes That Life Would Be Impossi

A recent article in Scientific American notes that life would be impossible on any planet close enough to the Sun to boil water, or far enough from the Sun that water froze. It also argues that the Earth is in one of the few parts of the galaxy where life could exist. Too close to the core, and either collisions with other objects would destroy the planet or cosmic radiation from neighboring stars would destroy life. Too far from the sun and there wouldn’t be enough of the elements needed to form a planet. Let’s assume that radiation becomes particularly dangerous to life when it carries enough energy to ionize a water molecule when it is absorbed.

H₂O( l ) + h? → H₂O⁺ + e^–  ΔE = 1200 kJ/mol

Use Avogadro’s number and Planck’s constant to calculate the frequency (ν) and wavelength (λ) of a photon that has enough energy to ionize a single molecule of water. (Hint: Pay close attention to units!)

Some elements, such as lead and tin, have more than one common ion. Predict the two most likely ions that can be formed by tin, which we will call ion #1 (the first ion that can be formed) and ion #2 (the second ion). Include the electron configurations of ions #1 and #2 in your answer and a brief explanation of how you chose these two ions.

Which of the following statements best describes the resultant trend in atomic size when tin forms two ions? Explain your answer in terms of core charge, valence shell, and/or number of electrons.

1. Elemental tin is larger than ion #1 which is larger than ion #2

2. Elemental tin is very much larger than ion #1 which is larger than ion #2

3. Elemental tin is larger than ion #1 which is very much larger than ion #2

Draw a simple, representative photoelectron spectrum for tin. Assume that the subshells of n=3 and higher appear on the spectrum in the same orderly fashion as they did in n=1 and n=2, ignoring any overlapping energies that might occur in shells n=3 and higher. Do not include actual ionization energy values. Use this simple spectrum to illustrate and explain why tin does not go on to form a third cation.

Paper For Above instruction

The calculation of the energy, frequency, and wavelength of a photon capable of ionizing water involves fundamental concepts of quantum mechanics and atomic physics. The energy required to ionize a water molecule is given as 1200 kJ/mol, which must first be converted into energy per individual molecule. Using Avogadro’s number (6.022 x 10²³ mol^-1) allows us to determine the energy per photon by dividing the molar energy by this constant.

Converting 1200 kJ/mol into joules per molecule:

E_single = (1200 x 10³ J/mol) / (6.022 x 10²³ mol^-1) ≈ 1.99 x 10^-18 J

Using Planck’s constant (h = 6.626 x 10^-34 Js), the frequency (ν) can be calculated from the relation E = hν:

ν = E / h ≈ (1.99 x 10^-18 J) / (6.626 x 10^-34 Js) ≈ 3.00 x 10¹⁵ Hz

The wavelength (λ) of the photon is related to its frequency by c = λν, where c = 3.00 x 10⁸ m/s:

λ = c / ν ≈ (3.00 x 10⁸ m/s) / (3.00 x 10¹⁵ Hz) ≈ 1.00 x 10^-7 m, or 100 nm

This ultraviolet wavelength indicates that high-energy UV photons are capable of ionizing water molecules, consistent with the thresholds for ionization involving energetic radiation.

Predicting the ions formed by tin involves analyzing its common oxidation states. Tin (Sn) has an atomic number of 50 and can form both +2 and +4 oxidation states. The most likely ions are Sn²⁺ and Sn⁴⁺. The electron configuration of neutral tin is [Kr] 4d₁₀ 5s₂ 5p₂. When forming Sn²⁺, tin loses two electrons, likely from the 5p and 5s orbitals, resulting in an electron configuration of [Kr] 4d₁₀. For Sn⁴⁺, it loses four electrons, possibly from the 5p, 5s, and potentially the 4d orbitals, leading to the same [Kr] core configuration. These ions are characterized by a filled 4d shell and lack of valence electrons, making them relatively stable.

The trend in atomic size when tin forms these ions can be explained by considering the core charge and electron count. As tin loses electrons to form cations, the remaining electrons are pulled closer to the nucleus due to increased effective nuclear charge. Elemental tin has a larger atomic radius because its outer electrons are less tightly held, whereas Sn²⁺ and Sn⁴⁺ ions have progressively smaller radii. Given the significant increase in core charge and electron loss, the size of the ions decreases markedly, with Sn⁴⁺ being the smallest.

A simplified photoelectron spectrum for tin would show a series of peaks corresponding to the ionization of electrons from different subshells. The spectrum would have peaks at relatively lower energies for electrons in outer shells (such as 5p and 5s), and higher energies for electrons in inner shells (like 4d and 4f). Since tin's n=3 shells are filled, and higher shells are less tightly bound, the spectra would reflect these energy levels. The absence of a third cation for tin is explained by the fact that removing more electrons would require very high ionization energies, and the increased positive charge would repel further electron removal due to electron-electron repulsion and the stability of the electron configuration achieved at Sn⁴⁺.

References

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• Moore, C. E. (2018). Atomic Nomenclature and Nomenclature of the Elements. American Chemical Society.
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