Foundation Level (Fail → Pass)

Simple prompts to build essential understanding.

1. Define electronic configuration.

2. What is an orbital?

3. How many electrons can an s‑orbital hold?

4. How many electrons can a p‑subshell hold in total?

5. State the Aufbau principle.

6. State the Pauli Exclusion Principle.

7. State Hund’s rule.

8. Write the electronic configuration of sodium.

9. Write the electronic configuration of oxygen.

10. Define a period and a group in the periodic table.

 Intermediate Level (Pass → Credit)

Prompts requiring reasoning and application.

1. Explain why 4s fills before 3d.

2. Compare the sizes of Na and Mg atoms.

3. Explain why atomic radius decreases across a period.

4. Describe the trend in ionisation energy across a period.

5. Explain why ionisation energy decreases down a group.

6. Compare the electronegativity of fluorine and iodine.

7. Explain why noble gases are unreactive based on electron configuration.

8. Write the shorthand electronic configuration of chlorine.

9. Describe the trend in metallic character across a period.

10. Predict whether sulfur or chlorine has a higher electron affinity and justify.

Advanced Level (Credit → Distinction)

Analytical and high‑order thinking prompts.

1. Explain anomalies in electron configurations (e.g., Cr and Cu).

2. Discuss the relationship between effective nuclear charge and periodic trends.

3. Analyse why ionisation energy shows small dips at Group 3 and Group 6.

4. Explain how shielding affects periodic properties.

5. Compare the reactivity of alkali metals using electron configuration.

6. Explain why transition metals form coloured ions in terms of d‑orbital splitting.

7. Predict and justify the trend in second ionisation energies across Period 3.

8. Evaluate the role of electron configuration in determining chemical behaviour.

9. Explain how electron configuration supports the block structure of the periodic table.

10. Discuss how periodicity helps in predicting unknown element properties.