JWCL187_ch02_018-043.

qxd 11/5/09 8:06 AM Page 25

2.3 Electrons in Atoms • 25

Table 2.2 A Listing of the Expected Electron Configurations for

Some of the Common Elementsa
Atomic
Element Symbol Number Electron Configuration
Hydrogen H 1 1s1
Helium He 2 1s2
Lithium Li 3 1s22s1
Beryllium Be 4 1s22s2
Boron B 5 1s22s22p1
Carbon C 6 1s22s22p2
Nitrogen N 7 1s22s22p3
Oxygen O 8 1s22s22p4
Fluorine F 9 1s22s22p5
Neon Ne 10 1s22s22p6
Sodium Na 11 1s22s22p63s1
Magnesium Mg 12 1s22s22p63s2
Aluminum Al 13 1s22s22p63s23p1
Silicon Si 14 1s22s22p63s23p2
Phosphorus P 15 1s22s22p63s23p3
Sulfur S 16 1s22s22p63s23p4
Chlorine Cl 17 1s22s22p63s23p5
Argon Ar 18 1s22s22p63s23p6
Potassium K 19 1s22s22p63s23p64s1
Calcium Ca 20 1s22s22p63s23p64s2
Scandium Sc 21 1s22s22p63s23p63d14s2
Titanium Ti 22 1s22s22p63s23p63d24s2
Vanadium V 23 1s22s22p63s23p63d34s2
Chromium Cr 24 1s22s22p63s23p63d54s1
Manganese Mn 25 1s22s22p63s23p63d54s2
Iron Fe 26 1s22s22p63s23p63d64s2
Cobalt Co 27 1s22s22p63s23p63d74s2
Nickel Ni 28 1s22s22p63s23p63d84s2
Copper Cu 29 1s22s22p63s23p63d104s1
Zinc Zn 30 1s22s22p63s23p63d104s2
Gallium Ga 31 1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p1
Germanium Ge 32 1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p2
Arsenic As 33 1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p3
Selenium Se 34 1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p4
Bromine Br 35 1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p5
Krypton Kr 36 1s22s22p63s23p63d104s24p6
a
When some elements covalently bond, they form sp hybrid bonds. This is espe-
cially true for C, Si, and Ge.

hydrogen, helium, and sodium are, respectively, 1s1, 1s2, and 1s22s22p63s1. Electron
configurations for some of the more common elements are listed in Table 2.2.
At this point, comments regarding these electron configurations are necessary.
valence electron First, the valence electrons are those that occupy the outermost shell. These elec-
trons are extremely important; as will be seen, they participate in the bonding be-
tween atoms to form atomic and molecular aggregates. Furthermore, many of the
physical and chemical properties of solids are based on these valence electrons.
In addition, some atoms have what are termed stable electron configurations;
that is, the states within the outermost or valence electron shell are completely