Question One:
Discuss the differences between the planetary model of atoms and the way that Thompson and Rutherford described them. What are the experiments which they did? Take an atom and write out its electron configuration. Which are the core electrons and which are the valence electrons? How are these electrons different? Which electrons participate in bonding and why?
Question Two:
What is electronegativity? How can we define it in terms of the atoms on the periodic table? Pick two or more atoms from the periodic table and describe why their electronegativities are different. Apply this information to their chemical reactivity. For example, how will each element you picked, in its natural state, bond with any chosen atom? How would it react when placed in contact with water – and why?
