Graphs Mastery 1 Check Hard Topic Unit 1.2

📊 10 Things to Know About AP Chemistry Graphs (Per Unit)

🧬 Unit 1: Atomic Structure (PES Graphs)

1. The x-axis shows binding energy in eV.
2. Each peak’s height represents number of electrons.
3. Core electrons are tightly bound → appear to the right.
4. Valence electrons appear far left on the graph.
5. Area under peaks = number of electrons per subshell.
6. Compare elements by peak position shifts.
7. Ionization energy ≈ leftmost peak energy.
8. PES data is used to confirm electron configurations.
9. Nuclear charge increases → all peaks shift right.
10. PES is useful for identifying unknown elements.

🔗 Unit 2: Molecular & Ionic Compounds (Energy Diagrams)

1. Bond length is shown on x-axis.
2. Bond strength is reflected in depth of the energy well.
3. Lowest point = optimal bond length.
4. Steeper curves = stronger repulsion at short distances.
5. Bond order affects both energy and length.
6. Weaker bonds = shallower wells.
7. Energy curves model interatomic forces.
8. Used to compare bond strength across molecules.
9. Correlates with bond dissociation energy.
10. Equilibrium point balances attraction and repulsion.