electron structure

Na 2,8,1
first quantum shell

lowest energy level

n=1

n = 2 energy level
second quantum shell
n = 3 energy level
third quantum shell

The closer to the nucleus a quantum shell is, the lower is its energy.
Quantum means no intermediate values are possible.
energy
level
n=3
= an orbital
n=2

n=1
2

6
8
number of electrons

Electrons can be represented by an arrow

Electrons have a property of spin and can be either spin up
or spin down
An orbital is a space which can hold either 0, 1 or 2 electrons.
When electrons fill up an atom they fill the lowest energy levels first.
Electrons repel each other so they only pair up in an orbital if there are no lower energy orbitals
available.
Given the choice between a lower energy orbital already containing an electron, and an empty
higher energy orbital, an electron will always choose the lower orbital.
n=3
A
sodium
atom
contains
two
electrons in the first energy level,
eight in the second and one in the
third.

n=2

n=1

The n = 2 shell can hold eight electrons in its four orbitals. However, these four orbitals are not all
at the same energy level there is one orbital of lower energy and three orbitals in a higher
energy level
x
IE

There is a jump here because the seventh

and eighth electrons are at a lower level,
closer to the nucleus so harder to remove

x
x
x
x
x

4
5
6
7
electron removed

This means that the n = 2 energy level is split into two sub-levels:
the 2s sub-shell contains one orbital at a lower energy
the 2p sub-shell contains three orbitals all at the same slightly higher energy its six
electrons are therefore easier to remove than expected
n=1
1s, 2s
orbital
n=3

energy level
sub-shell

3s

n=2

2p

2s

n=1
1s

energy level number of electrons

n=1
n=2
n=3

2
8 split into 2 sub-shells, 2 in the 2s, 6 in the 2p
18 split into 3 sub-shells, 2 in the 3s, 6 in the 3p, 10 in the 3d

Although the 4s orbital is in a higher energy level than the 3d (4 is higher than 3) it is actually of
lower energy than the 3d so is filled first:

part of n = 4

3d
4s
n=3
3p
3s

2p

n=2

2s

1s

n=1

3d

3d

3d

3d

3d

4s
3p

3p

3p

3s
2p

2p

The sodium atom has eleven electrons

in its lowest energy level orbitals. There
are five full orbitals and one half-filled
one.

2p

2s

1s