Algonquin College Health Program Assessment (AC-HPAT) Practice Exam

What defines an energy level in an atom?

1. The arrangement of protons and neutrons

2. The volume of space where specific electrons are found

3. The charge of an ion

4. The type of bond formed between elements

The correct answer is: The volume of space where specific electrons are found

The correct answer is defined by the concept of energy levels in an atom, which refer specifically to the volume of space where certain electrons are likely to be found. In quantum mechanics, energy levels, also known as shells or orbitals, represent distinct regions around the nucleus of an atom where electrons exist with quantized energy states. Each energy level can hold a certain number of electrons, and these levels are shaped by the forces acting on the electrons due to the nucleus. Protons and neutrons, while critical components of an atom’s nucleus, do not define energy levels as they are not directly involved in the configurations of the electrons that occupy those regions. The charge of an ion relates to an atom’s net charge based on the loss or gain of electrons but does not reflect the structural definition of energy levels. The type of bond formed between elements is associated with how atoms interact in terms of chemical reactions and molecular formations, not with the atomic structure and the positioning of electrons within an atom itself. Thus, the volume of space where specific electrons are found accurately captures the essence of energy levels in atomic theory.