10.Make sure your answer is a reasonable one.
11.Don’t confuse the mass number (A) with the atomic number (Z).
12.When determining valence electrons, only the s and p electrons are considered.
13.Don’t put more than 2 electrons in any individual orbital.
14.Always fill lowest energy levels first.
15.Half fill orbitals of equal energy before pairing up the electrons.
16.In writing the electronic configuration of an atom, make sure you use the correct
filling order.
17.Don’t confuse the periods with the groups on the periodic table.
18.Don’t confuse ionization energy with electron affinity.
19.Don’t confuse oxidation numbers with ionic charge.
20.In naming compounds, don’t confuse metal and nonmetal type binary compounds.
Prefixes are used only with nonmetal types.
21.Be careful when using the crisscross rule to reduce the subscripts to their lowest
whole-number ratio.
22.Be sure to report the proper number of significant figures.
23.Simply knowing a periodic trend will allow you to pick the correct multiple-choice
answer, but be prepared to explain the trend in free-response questions.Review Questions
This is where you get a chance to practice your multiple-choice test-taking skills. Take it as
a test, within the specified time frame. We have attempted to word the questions as closely
as possible to the way the questions will be worded on the AP Exam.
Answer the following questions. You have 25 minutes. You may not use a calculator.
You may use the periodic table in the back of the book.60 STEP 4. Review the Knowledge You Need to Score High
- In most of its compounds, this element exists as
a monatomic cation.
(A) O
(B) Cl
(C) Na
(D) N
(E) I- This element may form a compound with the
formula CaXO 4.
(A) Se
(B) Cl
(C) P
(D) Na
(E) He- Which of the following elements may occur in
the greatest number of different oxidation states?
(A) C
(B) F
(C) O
(D) Ca
(E) Na- Choose the group that does not contain isotopes
of the same element.
Number of Number of
protons neutrons
(A) Atom I 18 18
Atom II 18 19
(B) Atom I 25 30
Atom II 25 31
(C) Atom I 37 42
Atom II 37 41
(D) Atom I 82 126
Atom II 82 128
(E) Atom I 18 18
Atom II 17 18