CHM 501

Homework 1

Due September 18, 2001



1. Find the electron configuration for the following species: S, S2-, W, W+, Ni2+, Ce3+, Os, Eu.


S: [Ne]3s23p4

S2–: [Ne]3s23p6 = [Ar]

W: [Xe]6s24f145d4

W+: [Xe]4f145d5

Ni2+: [Ar]3d8

Ce3+: [Xe]4f1

Os: [Xe]6s24f145d6

Eu: [Xe]6s24f7


2. Write a brief (one page, typed) review of the Chemistry Department Seminar given Friday, September 14. The title implies that the speaker will discuss noncovalent interactions. Define what the speaker means by this and how this type of chemical bonding is relevant to the seminar topic. Give examples of noncovalent bonding.


The speaker made an impassioned plea for all synthetic chemists to incorporate green chemistry thinking when planning syntheses. However, he neither gave a definition nor specific examples of noncovalent bonding.