Orbital filling rules Homework

The rules that you have been applying in order to determine the electronic
configuration of an atom are summarized below.

A. THE AUFBAU PRINCIPLE.

Lowest energy orbitals are filled first.
1s2s2p3s3p4s3d4p5s4d5p6s4f5d6p7s5f6d
7p8s

B. THE PAULI EXCLUSION PRINCIPLE.

Orbitals can only contain a maximum of two electrons and when two electrons
enter the same orbital they must have opposite spins (+ ½ or – ½). (In the
“electrons in boxes” diagram they must be drawn  NOT  OR ).

C. HUNDS RULE.
When orbitals of identical energy are available, electrons enter these orbitals
singly before any spin pairing takes place. In the p, d, and f sublevels (that
contain more than one orbital) no orbital may contain a pair of electrons before all
the orbitals of that sublevel contain one electron. See detailed explanation below.

D. EXCEPTIONS TO THE AUFBAU PRINCIPLE.

There are some notable exceptions. For example Cr and Cu achieve extra
stability by forming a half-filled or completely filled d sub-shell by using one of
their 4s electrons.

Cr: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 3d5

Cu: 1s 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 3d10
2
Detailed Explanation of Hund’s Rule:
Consider each of the elements listed and the INCORRECT electronic configuration associated with each one. In each case identify
which of the above rules or principles (A, B, C or D) is violated and insert the correct electronic configuration. Then add a possible set
of quantum numbers for the outer most electron. An example is completed for you.

POSSIBLE SET OF
INCORRECT CORRECT
ELEMENT VIOLATION QUANTUM NUMBERS FOR
CONFIGURATION CONFIGURATION
OUTERMOST ELECTRON
N 1s2 2s2 2px2 2py1 C 1s2 2s2 2px1 2py1 2pz1 2 1 -1 +½
2 2 6 3
Al 1s 2s 2p 3p
B 1s2 2s3
2 2 6 5
P 1s 2s 2p 3p
2 9
Cu [Ar] 4s 3d
Mg [Ne] 
2 1 1 1 1
C 1s 2s 2px 2py 2pz
2 2 2
C 1s 2s 2px
2 9
Ag [Kr] 5s 4d
1 6
Mn [Ar] 4s 3d
2 2 2 2 2 0
Ni [Ar] 4s 3dxy 3dxz 3dyz 3dz2 3dx2-y2
Cl [Ne]    
3
Sc [Ar] 3d
2 1 1 1
B 1s 2s 2px 2py
1 2 6 2
Na 1s 2s 2p 3s
2 2 2
S [Ne] 3s 3px 3py
5
V [Ar] 3d
2 2 1
P [Ne] 3s 3px 3py
2 16
Kr [Ar] 4s 3d
2 4
Cr [Ar] 4s 3d