During a deep-space expedition exploring an icy moon, astrochemists analyze an unknown monatomic gas captured from a hydrothermal plume using a miniature photoelectron spectrometer. The recorded spectrum features exactly three distinct peaks with binding energies of 53.1 MJ/mol, 3.04 MJ/mol, and 1.31 MJ/mol, exhibiting relative peak area intensities of 1 : 1 : 2, respectively. Assuming the sample consists of neutral ground-state atoms, which conclusion is directly supported by this spectroscopic evidence?

A) The element possesses three valence electrons because the spectrum contains exactly three discrete energy peaks.

B) The element is oxygen, whose valence shell is composed of two subshells containing a total of six electrons.

C) The peak at 53.1 MJ/mol corresponds to the removal of valence electrons held furthest from the nucleus.

D) The peak at 1.31 MJ/mol corresponds to electrons in the 2s subshell because s electrons always possess the lowest binding energy.

Photoelectron spectroscopy Original Scenario-Based Practice

Chemistry · Atomic Structure · Chemistry · Electrons in Atoms

1 Chemistry practice questions on Photoelectron spectroscopy. Questions built around original scenarios.

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Atomic Structure · Chemistry

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