ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATION

At the end of this topic, students should

be able to:-
a) State Aufbau principle, Hund’s rule and Pauli’s
exclusion principle.
b) Apply the rules in (a) to fill electrons into atomic
orbitals.
c) Write the electronic configuration of atoms and
monoatomic ions using spdf notation.
d) Explain the anomalous electronic configurations of
chromium and copper.

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 ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATION

Shows how the electrons are distributed

among the various atomic orbitals

EXAMPLE:
H atom (ground state)

number of electrons in
n value
1s1 the orbital or subshell

subshell
2
 Representing Electronic Configuration

 Method 1: Orbital diagram

8 O: Box
1s 2s 2p

Platform
1s 2s 2p

Concentric
circle
1s 2s 2p
or or 3
Method 2: spdf notation Principal quantum
number, n
2 2 4
8 O: 1s 2s 2p
Number of electrons
in the subshells

Azimuthal quantum
number, 

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 Rules for Assigning Electrons to Orbitals
i) Aufbau Principle
Electrons fill the lowest energy orbitals first and other
orbitals in order of ascending energy.
1s
2s 2p
3s 3p 3d
4s 4p 4d 4f
5s 5p 5d 5f
The order of filling orbitals is:
1s < 2s < 2p < 3s < 3p < 4s < 3d < 4p < 5s
increasing energy 5
Relative Energy Level of Atomic Orbitals
4d
5s
4p

3d
energy n=4 4s

3p
n=3 3s

2p
n=2 2s

n=1 1s

Orbital energy levels

in a many-electron atom 6
 EXAMPLE 01
Which orbital in each of the following pairs
is lower in energy in many–electron atoms:

a) 2s , 2p
b) 3p , 3d
c) 3s , 4s
d) 4d , 5f
e) 3d , 4s

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 PAULI’S EXCLUSION PRINCIPLE

No two electrons in the same atom have

the same four quantum numbers
In other words,

Each electron must have different set of

quantum numbers

He atom
1s2
1st electron (1,0,0, +½ ) (1,0,0, -½ ) (1,0,0, +½ )
2nd electron (1,0,0, +½ ) (1,0,0, -½ ) (1,0,0, -½ )

correct
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 HUND’S RULE

When electrons are placed in a set of degenerate

orbitals, each orbital is filled singly with the
electrons of parallel spins before the electrons
occupy the orbitals in pairs.
EXAMPLE:

C (Z = 6)
1s 2s 2p

number of parallel
spin = 2
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 EXAMPLE 02
Write the electronic configuration of the
following atoms and ions using spdf notation.

(i) K (Z = 19)
(ii) Mg (Z = 12)
(iii) F (Z = 9)
(iv) K+
(v) Mg2+
(vi) F-

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 EXAMPLE 03

Write the orbital diagram of Be (Z = 4)

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 EXAMPLE 03
Write the orbital diagram of Be (Z = 4)

4Be:
1s 1s
2s 2p

4Be: correct
1s 1s
2s 2p

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 EXERCISE 03
Which of the following is the correct orbital
diagram for the ground–state electronic
configuration of Nitrogen (Z = 7)? Explain.

7 N:
1s 2s 2p

7 N:
1s 2s 2p

7 N:
1s 2s 2p 19
 EXERCISE 03

7 N:
1s 2s 2p

Obeys Pauli’s exclusion principle and

Hund’s rule

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Maximum number of electrons in:

s subshell = 2 (ns2)

p subshell = 6 (np6)

d subshell = 10 (nd10)

f subshell = 14 (nf14)

Each atomic orbital can only accommodate a maximum

of 2 electrons
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 EXAMPLE 04
What are the possible quantum numbers for
the last (outermost) electron in Cl?

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 EXAMPLE 05
Indicate the total number of :

a) p electrons in N (Z = 7)
b) s electons in Si (Z = 14)
c) 3d electrons in S (Z = 16)

Silicone (Si)

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 EXAMPLE 06
Write the electronic configuration of the
following transition metal:

a) V5+ (V; Z = 23)

b) Ti4+ (Ti; Z = 22)
c) Zn2+ (Zn; Z = 30)

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 ANOMALOUS CASE: CHROMIUM
Cr ( Z = 24 )

1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d

Electronic configuration of Cr : 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 3d5

NOT 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d4

(expected by Aufbau principle)

The anomalous filling pattern is due to the

extra stability of the half–filled (3d5) subshell
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 ANOMALOUS CASE: COPPER
Cu ( Z = 29 )

1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d

Electronic configuration of Cu : 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 3d10

NOT 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d9

(expected by Aufbau principle)

The anomalous filling pattern is due to the

extra stability of the completely filled (3d10) subshell
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 z = 21

z = 30

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