Example

Determine the orbitals from the following value of n, l, m :

1. n = 2, l = 1 & m = –1
2. n = 4, l = 0 & m = 0
3. n = 5, l = 2 & m = +1
4. n = 3, l = 1 & m = 0

Solution
n I m orbital
2 1 -1 2px or 2py
4 0 0 4s
5 2 +1 5dyz/5dxz
3 1 0 3pz
 Example

Pick out the correct sequence of quantum number in the

followings:
(1) n = 3, l = 2, m = 3, s = – ½ (2) n = 2, l = 2, m = 1, s = + ½
(3) n = 3, l = 1, m = –1, s = – ½ (4) n = 2, l = 1, m = 0, s = +1

Solution
Example

Find out the value of n, l, m, for the following orbitals

1. 5s
2. 3pz
3. 2px

Solution

(1) 5s : n = 5, l = 0, m = 0
(2) 3pz : n = 3, l = 1, m = 0
(3) 2px : n = 2, l = 1, m = 1
Rules for filling Subshell

Aufbau Principle

(n + l) rule

Hund's maximum multiplicity principle

Pauli's exclusion principle

 Aufbau Principle

Aufbau is a German word and its meaning is ‘Building up‘

Aufbau principle gives a sequence in which various subshell

are filled up depending on the relative order of the Energies
of various subshell.

Principle : The subshell with minimum energy is filled up

first when this subshell obtained maximum quota of
electrons then the next subshell of higher energy starts
filling.
The sequence in which various subshell are filled are as follows.

1s 2s 3s 4s 5s 6s 7s
Starting
point
2p 3p 4p 5p 6p 7p

3d 4d 5d 6d

4f 5f

1s2,2s2,2p6,3s2,3p6,4s2,3d10,4p6,5s2,4d10,5p6,6s2,4f14,5d10,6p6,7s2,5f14....
 Example

1H → 1s1

2He → 1s2

3Li → 1s2, 2s1

4Be → 1s2, 2s2

5B → 1s2, 2s2, 2p1

6C → 1s2, 2s2, 2p2

7N → 1s2, 2s2, 2p3

8O → 1s2, 2s2, 2p4

9F → 1s2, 2s2, 2p5

10Ne → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6

11Na → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s1

12Mg → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2

13Al → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p1

14Si → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p2

15p → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p3

16S → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p4

17Cl → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p5

18Ar → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6

19K → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 4s1

20Ca → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 4s2

21Sc → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 4s2, 3d1

22Ti → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 4s2, 3d2

23V → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 4s2, 3d3

24Cr → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 4s1, 3d5 [Exception]

25Mn → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 4s2, 3d5

26Fe → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 4s2, 3d6

27Co → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 4s2, 3d7

28Ni → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 4s2, 3d8

29Cu → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 4s1, 3d10 [Exception]

30Zn → 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 4s2, 3d10

Electronic configuration can be written by following different
methods :

26Fe → (1) 1s2 , 2s2 , 2p6 , 3s2 , 3p6, 4s2, 3d6

(2) 1s2 , 2s2 , 2p6 , 3s2 , 3p6, 3d6 , 4s2

(3) 1s2 , 2s2p6 , 3s2p6d6 , 4s2

(4) [Ar] 4s2 3d6

Outer most Shell or Ultimate Shell or Valence Shell (n)

Electrons present in this Shell are called as valence electrons or this is

called core charge. Fe⟹ 1s2 2s22p6 3s2 3p6 3d6 4s2

(n – 2) (n – 1) (n)

(n–1) → Penultimate Shell or core or pre valence shell

(n–2) → Pre-penultimate Shell

If we remove the last n Shell (ultimate Shell) then the remaining

shell collectively be called as Kernal.

EX. 26Fe → 1s2 2s22p6 3s2 3p6 3d6 4s2

Kernal
 Exception of Aufbau principle :

In some cases it is seen that the electronic configuration is slightly

different from the arrangement given by Aufbau principle. A simple
reason behind this is that half filled & full filled subshell have got extra
stability due to energy exchange.

24Cr→ 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d4

(expected configuration)

24Cr→ 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 3d5

(actual configuration)
 Exception of Aufbau principle :

Example

29Cu→ 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d9

(expected configuration)

29Cu→ 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 3d10

(actual configuration)
( n + l ) Rule (For multi electron species)

According to it the sequence in which various subshell are

filled up can also be determined with the help of (n+ l) value
for a given subshell.

Principle of ( n + l) rule : The subshell with lowest (n+l)

value is filled up first, When two or more subshell have same
(n+l) value then the subshell with lowest value of n is filled
up first.
Sub shell n l n+ℓ
1s 1 0 1
2s 2 0 2
2p 2 1 3 (1)
3s 3 0 3 (2)
3p 3 1 4 (1)
4s 4 0 4 (2)
3d 3 2 5 (1)
4p 4 1 5 (2)
5s 5 0 5 (3)
4d 4 2 6 (1)
5p 5 1 6 (2)
6s 6 0 6 (3)
Order : 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 4s2, 3d10, 4p6, 5s2, 4d10, 5p6, 6s2,

4f14, 5d10, 6p6,7s2, 5f14, 6d10 , ....

Example
As per the aufbau principle, which of the following orbitals have
the lowest energy?
(1) 3p
(2) 4s
(3) 2p
(4) 3s

Solution
Example
What is the correct order of orbitals in which electrons are filled?

(1) 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d

(2) 3d, 4s, 4p, 4d, 5s
(3) 3d, 4p, 4s, 4d, 5s
(4) 5s, 4p, 3d, 4d, 5s

Solution
The correct order of closeness of 3s, 3p, 3d orbitals of nucleus
is :
(1) 3d > 3p > 3s
(2) 3s > 3p > 3d
(3) 3s > 3d > 3p
(4) 3d > 3s > 3p
The atomic orbitals are progressively filled in order of
increasing energy. The principle is called as :
(1) Hund's rule
(2) aufbau principle
(3) exclusion principle
(4) de-Broglie rule