What’s in a Box Diagram?

Box diagrams show individual electrons (represented as arrows) as

they are arranged in the orbitals (represented as boxes) of each
occupied sub level.

A maximum of two electrons can fit in an orbital, if they have

opposing spins.

Unit: Electrons
Lesson 6: Electron Configuration- Box Diagrams

Sub-levels and orbitals Box diagrams show The Pauli Exclusion Principle
individual electrons An orbital can hold 0, 1, or 2 electrons and if there are 2 electrons in
Sub-level # of Orbitals Number of e-
(represented as arrows) as an orbital, they must have opposite spins.
they are arranged in the
s 1 2 orbitals (represented as
p 3 6 boxes) of each occupied sub
d 5 10 level.
f 7 14 A maximum of two electrons
Unit 5, p. 13 can fit in an orbital, if they
have opposing spins.
The Pauli Exclusion Principle Hund’s Rule
An orbital can hold 0, 1, or 2 electrons and if there are 2 electrons in Electrons in orbitals of the same sub-level will always occupy empty
an orbital, they must have opposite spins. orbitals before they pair up in an orbital.

Fun with Box Diagrams. Why should we care about Box Notation?
Nitrogen: Fluorine: Box notation is useful for helping us see the unpaired electrons in
an atom.

Unpaired electrons are involved in chemical bonds.

Oxygen: Neon:
Thanks for Watching!
Make Sure You Can:
1. Represent an atom’s electron configuration as a box diagram.
2. Use a box diagram to determine how many principle energy levels,
sub levels and orbitals of an atom are occupied/filled with
electrons.
3. Identify valid and invalid box diagrams.