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Create chemPad Questions for Electron Configuration

When you create chemPad questions that are answered with electron configuration notation, your students can use either numerical or Aufbau order, but answer keys are shown in Aufbau order, for example, [Ar] 4s2 3d10. You can choose the kinds of electron configuration notation to allow in your students' responses.

Full requires your students to use full notation — for example, 1s2 2s2 2p2.

Noble requires your students to use noble gas notation — for example, [He] 2s2 2p2.

Either lets your students use either full notation — for example, 1s2 2s2 2p2 — or noble gas notation — for example, [He] 2s2 2p2.

Orbit lets your students use variants for orbital hybridization, for example, dsp3 or sp3d, that are considered equivalent.

  1. Click Questions > Create. The Question Editor opens.
  2. In Name, type a name for the question.
  3. In Mode, select Fill-in-the-Blank.
  4. In Question, type your question. Provide relevant information about assumptions or expectations for the question. Use the answer placeholder string <_> to specify where the answer box should be displayed.
  5. In Answer, type the following items on a single line:  
    <EQN $PAD='chem'; $CHEM='method'; ''>answer_key 

    where answer_key specifies the correct answer to the problem, and method is one of the following chemPad parsing methods:

    Behavior

    Example

    Method

    Require full notation

    1s2 2s2 2p2  

    econf,full

    Require noble gas notation

    [He] 2s2 2p2  

    econf,noble

    Allow either full or noble gas notation

    1s2 2s2 2p2 or [He] 2s2 2p2  

    econf,either

    Allow variants for orbital hybridization

    dsp3 or sp3d 

    econf,orbit

    For example:  

    Answer

    Code

    1s2 2s2 2p2  

    <EQN $PAD='chem'; $CHEM='econf,full'; ''>

1s^{2} 2s^{2} 2p^{2}

    [He] 2s2 2p2  

    <EQN $PAD='chem'; $CHEM='econf,noble'; ''>

[He] 2s^{2} 2p^{2}

    1s2 2s2 2p2 or [He] 2s2 2p2  

    <EQN $PAD='chem'; $CHEM='econf,either'; ''>

1s^{2} 2s^{2} 2p^{2}

    sp2  

    <EQN $PAD='chem'; $CHEM='econf,orbit'; ''>sp^{2}
    Note
    • If an answer extends beyond the right side of the Answer box, it is wrapped to the next line, but it is still considered a single line so long as you do not press ENTER.
    • As with other fill-in-the-blank questions, you can specify alternative answer keys separated by the characters {tab}.
    • For information about how to specify chemical notation in your answer key, see Creating chemPad Answer Keys.
  6. Optional: Type a Solution.

    The solution helps your students understand the steps they need to take to determine the correct answer to the question. Your assignment settings specify when to show the solution.

  7. Click Test/Preview to test the appearance and behavior of the question. See Test Questions.
  8. Click Redisplay to show certain kinds of errors in the Display section of the Question Editor. Make any needed changes to your question.
  9. Optional: Click Show Additional Information and change the question's sharing permission or add descriptive information.
    • By default, other instructors can use your question only if you provide them with the question ID, and only you can edit the question or find it in search results. To change the permission, see Share Questions With Other Instructors.
    • If you make your question publicly available, you might want to provide descriptive information to help others search for it. See Add Search Metadata to Questions.
  10. When your question displays and functions correctly, click Save.

    WebAssign assigns it a unique question ID (QID), which is displayed in parentheses after the question name.

    You can use your question in an assignment and see it in your My Questions list only after it is saved.

Example chemPad Question (Electron Configuration)

The following table summarizes an actual question.

QID 

1534316

Name 

Template2 5.CHEMP.12.

Mode 

Fill-in-the-Blank

Question 

Write the electron configuration for Ca.<br>
<_>

Answer 

<EQN $PAD='chem'; $CHEM='econf,either'; ''>1s^{2} 2s^{2} 2p^{6} 
3s^{2} 3p^{6} 4s^{2}

Display to Students

Question as displayed to students

Example chemPad Question (Orbital Hybridization)

The following table summarizes an actual question.

QID 

1534318

Name 

Template2 5.CHEMP.13.

Mode 

Fill-in-the-Blank

Question 

What hybrid orbital would be expected for the central atom in 
SO<sub>2</sub>?<br>
<_>

Answer 

<EQN $PAD='chem'; $CHEM='econf,orbit'; ''>sp^{2}

Display to Students

Question as displayed to students