Edexcel A-Level Chemistry AS Paper 1, June 2024: Question 2

1 mark · Medium difficulty · Multiple Choice

Identify which set of four successive ionisation energies corresponds to a Group 4 element

Practise this question

Question

Multiple-choice question 2 asking which of four options (A, B, C, D) could be the first four successive ionisation energies in kJ mol-1 of a Group 4 element. Option A: 496, 4563, 6913, 9544. Option B: 900, 1757, 14849, 21007. Option C: 801, 2427, 3610, 25026. Option D: 1086, 2353, 4621, 6223.
Question text

2 Which could be the first four successive ionisation energies, in kJ mol−1 , of a

Group 4 element?

A 496 4563 6913 9544

B 900 1757 14849 21007

C 801 2427 3610 25026

D 1086 2353 4621 6223

(Total for Question 2 = 1 mark)

Mark scheme

Show the mark scheme Mark scheme indicating that D is the only correct answer. It explains that A is incorrect as the large increase is between the 1st and 2nd ionisation energies (Group 1), B between the 2nd and 3rd (Group 2), and C between the 3rd and 4th (Group 3).

Question

Answer Mark

Number

2 The only correct answer is D (1086 2353 4621 6223) (1)

A is incorrect because there is a large increase between the 1st and 2nd ionisation energies, indicating a Group 1 element

B is incorrect because there is a large increase between the 2nd and 3rd ionisation energies, indicating a Group 2 element

C is incorrect because there is a large increase between the 3rd and 4th ionisation energies, indicating a Group 3 element

(Total for Question 2 = 1 mark)

How to answer it

Successive Ionisation Energies of a Group 4 Element

Edexcel AS Level Chemistry • Multiple Choice Question

What this question tests

This question assesses your understanding of successive ionisation energies and how large jumps in energy values correspond to electrons being removed from a new, inner quantum shell closer to the nucleus. You must use this pattern to deduce the group number of an unknown element.

Question Breakdown & Analysis

Identifying Group 4 Characteristics

💡 Key Knowledge

  • A Group 4 element has 4 valence electrons in its outer shell.
  • The first 4 electrons removed come from the outer shell, showing steady, gradual increases due to increasing positive charge.
  • The 5th electron must be removed from the next shell in (closer to the nucleus), causing a massive jump in ionisation energy.
  • Therefore, looking at only the first four successive ionisation energies, we should see no giant jump between ionisation 1 and 4, because all 4 electrons are in the same outer shell.

🧠 Exam Technique

  • Scan down the options and look for sudden, massive multipliers (jumps of 3x to 10x or more) between successive values.
  • Count how many gradual increases occur before a huge jump happens. The number of gradual steps before the jump = the group number!

✅ Correct Answer: D

Values: 1086 , 2353 , 4621 , 6223

All first four ionisation energies increase steadily without a massive spike. This fits a Group 4 element, where all four electrons are removed from the outer shell before reaching an inner shell.

❌ Common Errors & Distractor Analysis

  • A (496 to 4563): Huge jump between 1st and 2nd IE. Indicates a Group 1 element.
  • B (1757 to 14849): Huge jump between 2nd and 3rd IE. Indicates a Group 2 element.
  • C (3610 to 25026): Huge jump between 3rd and 4th IE. Indicates a Group 3 element.
Mark Allocation: 1 mark for selecting option D.

Topics

Physical Chemistry · Topic 1: Atomic Structure and the Periodic Table

Question and mark scheme from the Edexcel A-Level Chemistry examination, AS Paper 1, June 2024. QuestionVault is an independent revision resource; questions remain the copyright of the awarding body.