WEEK 1

ELECTRON CONFIGURATION
Electron Configuration is the arrangement of electrons or the probable distribution of
electrons in an atom. The most stable organization is the lowest possible energy.

Components of Electron Configuration:

▪ a number denoting the energy level
▪ a letter denoting the type of orbital
▪ a superscript denoting the number of
electrons in that orbital
4p5

First Rule of Electron Configuration: Aufbau Principle

Aufbau Principle states that electrons will occupy the orbital in increasing energy.
The order of the orbital energies from lowest to
highest is 1s < 2s < 2p < 3s < 3p < 4s < 3d < 4p <
5s < 4d < 5p < 6s < 4f < 5d < 6p < 7s
4s comes first before 3d because the third
energy level is very close to the 4s energy
level. The total energy of an atom not only
depends on the sum of the orbital energy,
but also on the energy of the repulsion
between the electrons in these orbitals.

Maximum number of electrons each sublevel can hold:

s = 2e−; p = 6e−; d = 10 e−; f = 14 e−

EXAMPLES:
electrons: 8, since protons = electrons in neutral atoms

16 protons: 8
8 O neutrons: 8, since neutrons = mass number 16 – atomic number 8
electron configuration: 1s22s22p4
 electrons: 17

35 protons: 17
17 Cl neutrons: 18, since neutrons = mass number 35 – atomic number 17
electron configuration: 1s22s22p63s23p5

electrons: 30

65 protons: 30
30 Zn neutrons: 35, since neutrons = mass number 65 – atomic number 30
electron configuration: 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d10

By using the electron configuration, the period/series and the group the element
belongs to can be identified:
▪ period: the highest energy level
▪ group number: for representative elements and groups 1B & 2B, the number of valence
electrons. for transition metals, add the electrons of s and d.
o if the electric configuration ends with s or p, the element is in A group.
o if the electric configuration ends with d or f, the element is in B group.

EXAMPLES:
1s22s22p4
16
8 O period: 2, since the highest occupied energy level is 2
group number: 6A, since it contains 6 valence electrons, and it ends with p

1s22s22p63s23p5
35
17 Cl period: 3, since the highest occupied energy level is 3
group number: 7A, since it contains 7 valence electrons, and it ends with p

1s22s22p63s23p64s23d10
65
30 Zn period: 4, since the highest occupied energy level is 4
group number: 2B, since it contains 2 valence electrons, and it ends with d
 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d5
55
25 Mn period: 4, since the highest occupied energy level is 4
group number: 7B, since 5 + 2, and it ends with d

Condensed Electron Configuration

▪ elements in the same group have the same number of valance electrons, and elements in the
same period have the same energy levels.
▪ the filled inner shell electrons are called core electrons. these include completely filled d or f
sublevels
▪ shortened version of an electron configuration is written using brackets around the nearest
noble gas symbol that has lesser electrons than the given element, then list only the valence
electrons of the given element
Noble Gas Core Method

Noble Gases: He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, Rn

EXAMPLES:

16 27
8 O 1s22s22p4 → [He] 2s22p4
13 Al 1s22s22p63s23p1 → [Ne] 3s23p1

40
18 Ar 1s22s22p63s23p6 → [Ne] 3s23p6

Some Anomalies
▪ some irregularities occur when there are enough electrons to half-fill s and d sublevels on a
given row
EXAMPLES:

40
18 Ar 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d4 → 1s22s22p63s23p64s13d5
 64
29 Cu 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d9 → 1s22s22p63s23p64s13d10

96
42 Mo 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d104p65s24d4 → 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d104p65s14d5

Elements with Irregular Electron Configurations: Cr, Cu, La, Mo, Ce, Ac, Th, Ag, Gd, Cm, Au

Second Rule of Electron Configuration: Hund’s Rule of Multiplicity

Hund’s Rule of Multiplicity states that electrons will occupy the available orbital singly first
before pairing up.

Orbital Diagram
▪ Each box in the diagram represents one orbital
▪ Half arrows represent the electrons
▪ The direction of the arrow represents the relative
spin of the direction

Number of orbitals of each sublevel:

s = 1 orbital; p = 3 orbitals; d = 5 orbitals; f = 7 orbitals

EXAMPLE:

14
7 N 1s22s22p3

Magnetic Property
▪ Paramagnetic Materials contain unpaired electrons or spins and are attracted by a magnet
▪ Diamagnetic Materials contain paired spins and are repelled by a magnet
EXAMPLES:

19
9 F 1s22s22p5

Since it has an unpaired electron, it is a paramagnetic substance

24
12 Mg 1s22s22p63s2

Since it has no unpaired electron, it is a diamagnetic substance

Third Rule of Electron Configuration: Pauli’s Exclusion Principle

Pauli’s Exclusion Principle states that no two electrons I the same atom can have exactly the
same set of four quantum numbers.

Principal Quantum Number, n

The Principal Quantum Number describes the main energy level in which the orbital resides.
The possible values of n are integers > 0.

Azimuthal Quantum Number, l

The Azimuthal Quantum Number or also called angular momentum number defines the
shape of the orbital. The allowed values of l depends of the value of n, it ranges from 0 to n-1.
value of l sublevel orbital shape
0 s spherical
1 p dumbbell-shaped
2 d 4 cloverleaf-shaped
3 f too complex to describe

Magnetic Quantum Number, ml

The Magnetic Quantum Number describes the three-dimensional orientation of the orbital.
The allowed values for ml are integers ranging from -l to l: -l ≤ ml ≤ l. On any given energy level,
there can be up to 1 s orbital, 3 p orbitals, 5 d orbitals, 7 f orbitals, and so forth
 Spin Quantum Number, ms
The Spin Quantum Number describes the spin or the direction of electron. It becomes
important when more then one electron is present, and a 4th quantum number is required. Electrons
can only move clockwise or counterclockwise, so there are two allowed values: ½ for upward arrow
and -½ for downward arrow.

Summary of the Four Quantum Numbers:

name symbol allowed values property

principal n positive integers orbital energy (size)

azimuthal l integers from 0 to n-1 orbital shape

magnetic ml integers from -l to l orbital orientation

direction of electron
spin ms ½ or -½
spin

EXAMPLES:
C – 1s22s22p2
value of n value of l value of ml value of ms
1 0 0 +½
1 0 0 -½
2 0 0 +½
2 0 0 -½
2 1 -1 +½
2 1 0 +½

Na – 1s22s22p63s1
value of n value of l value of ml value of ms
1 0 0 +½
1 0 0 -½
2 0 0 +½
2 0 0 -½
2 1 -1 +½
2 1 0 +½
2 1 +1 +½
2 1 -1 -½
2 1 0 -½
2 1 +1 -½
3 0 0 +½