Lesson 21:

Electron Configuration

Reporters: Juvy Rosales, Gabrielle Pepito, Shai Urboda, Ischialle Akut

• The electron configuration shows how the electrons of an atom are
distributed among atomic orbitals. The orbital diagram shows the spin
of the electron. For the electron in the ground state of hydrogen, the
electron configuration is given as

No. of electrons in the

orbital or subshell.
1s 1
Principal
quantum no. n Angular momentum
quantum no. l
Atomic
Orbital
• The region in space around the nucleus in which the probability of
finding the electron is maximum.

• S - orbital
Spherical in shape but differ in size
which increases as the value of n
increases.
• P - orbital
The p orbital starts when n = 2 for which l has a value of 1 and ml has
values -1, 0, 1. Therefore, There are three 2p - orbitals: 2px, 2py, 2pz,
indicating the axes along in which they are oriented.
• D - orbitals
The orbitals occur for the first time when n = 3. The angular function in
these cases possesses two angular nodes. Four of the orbitals have the
same basic shapes except for the orientation with respect to the axes.
Hund’s
Rule
• Hund's Rule is a principle in quantum mechanics that states that
electrons occupy orbitals of the same energy level one at a time before
pairing up.

• For example: Carbon

AUFBAU
Principle
• The Aufbau principle, also called the Aufbau rule, states that in the
ground state of an atom or ion, electrons fill subshells of the lowest
available energy, then they fill subshells of higher energy.

For example: 1s subshell is filled before the 2s subshell is occupied

Chart:
There are maximum number of electrons in each energy
level, and we can determine it by using the equation 2n^2.
n=1 -------- 2
n=2 -------- 8
n=3 -------- 18
n=4 -------- ?

n = 2n^2
= 2(4)^2
= 32
n=4 contains 32 electrons
Noble Gas
Configuration
• The electron configuration of elements higher than hydrogen
and helium can be represented using the noble gas core.
• These are 2He, 10Ne, 18Ar, 36Kr, 54Xe, 86Rn.

Element Atomic No. of Electron Noble Gas

number Electrons Configuratio Configuratio
n n
O 8 8 1s22s22p4 [He]2s22p4
Na 11 11 1s22s22p63s1 [Ne]3s1
Valence Configuration
- is the electron configuration representing the
outermost shell or energy level.

Valence Electron
- the number of electrons found on the
outermost subshell.
Finding the Valence Configuration

• Diagram
Example
:
The valence configuration of Oxygen.

6 valence electrons
2 core electrons
8 electrons

O = 2s22p4
• Electron
Configuration

O: 1s22s22p4
2+4=6
valence e-
2 core e-

Valence O:
Configuration: 2s22p4
Noble Gas O: [He]
Configuration: 2s22p4
• Periodic Table
Group
EXERCISE!

Instruction: Get ½ crosswise and fill in the following.

Elemen Atomic No. of Orbital Electron Noble Gas Valence
t Number Electrons Diagram/ Configuratio Configuration Configuration
Hund’s rule n
Li 3
C 6