ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE OF

ATOMS

Learning Competencies:
1. describe the quantum mechanical
model of the atom
2. describe the electronic structure of
atoms in terms of main energy levels,
sublevels, and orbitals, and relate this
to energy
2
 QUANTUM MECHANICAL
MODEL OF AN ATOM
• The quantum model determines the
allowed energies an electron can have
and how likely it is to find the electron
in various locations around the nucleus.
 ATOMIC ORBITALS
Energy # of Letter of # of orbitals Total electrons
Level, n sublevels, sublevels per sublevel in energy level
l 𝒏𝟐 2𝒏𝟐
1 1 s 1 2
s 1
2 2 8
p 3
s 1
3 3 p 3 18
d 5
s 1
4 p 3
4 32
d 5
f 7
s 1
p 3
5 5 d 5 50
f 7
g 9
SHAPES OF ORBITALS
 ENERGY LEVELS AND
ORBITALS
Learning Competencies:
1. write the electronic configuration of
atoms
2. determine the magnetic property of
the atom based on its electronic
configuration
3. Perform exercises on writing electronic
configuration
4. Use quantum numbers to describe an
electron in an atom
 ELECTRON CONFIGURATIONS
• The electron configuration of an atom is a
shorthand method of writing the location of
electrons by sublevel.
• The sublevel is written followed by a superscript
with the number of electrons in the sublevel.
• If the 2p sublevel contains 2 electrons, it is
written 2p2
 AUFBAU PRINCIPLE

• states order of
how electrons fill
energy levels and
sublevels
• Always fill lowest
energy levels
and sublevels
first
 ELECTRON CONFIGURATIONS
Element Configuration Element Configuration
H Z=1 1s1 He Z=2 1s2
Li Z=3 1s22s1 Be Z=4 1s22s2
B Z=5 1s22s22p1 C Z=6 1s22s22p2
N Z=7 1s22s22p3 O Z=8 1s22s22p4
F Z=9 1s22s22p5 Ne Z=10 1s22s22p6
(2p is now full)
Na Z=11 1s22s22p63s1 Cl Z=17 1s22s22p63s23p5
K Z=19 1s22s22p63s23p64s1 Sc Z=21 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d1
Fe Z=26 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d6 Br Z=35 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d104p5

Note: the numbers of electron configuration add up to

the atomic number for that element. Ex: for Ne (Z=10),
2+2+6 = 10
 ELECTRON CONFIGURATIONS
Element Configuration
H Z=1 1s1
Li Z=3 1s22s1
Na Z=11 1s22s22p63s1
K Z=19 1s22s22p63s23p64s1
This similar configuration causes them to behave the
same chemically.
It’s for that reason they are in the same family or

group on the periodic table.

Each group will have the same ending configuration,

in this case something that ends in s1.

 VALENCE ELECTRONS
Many chemical properties depend on the valence electrons.

Valence electrons: The outer electrons, that are involved in

bonding and most other chemical changes of elements.
Rules for defining valence electrons.
1. In outer most energy level (or levels)
2. For main group (representative) elements (elements in s
world or p world) electrons in filled d or f shells are not
valence electrons
3. For transition metals, electrons in full f shells are not
valence electrons.
 14

ELECTRON
CONFIGURATION PRACTICE
•Write a ground state electron
configuration for 84Po.
 Orbital diagrams, Electron
Configurations and the Periodic
Table
• The periodic table can be used as a guide for
electron configurations.
• The period number is the value of n.
• Groups 1A and 2A have the s-orbital filled.
• Groups 3A - 8A have the p-orbital filled.
• Groups 3B - 2B have the d-orbital filled.
• The lanthanides and actinides have the f-
orbital filled.
10s
9p 8d 7f
6g
9s
8p
7d 6f
8s 5g
7p
6d 5f
7s
6p
5d
6s 4f
5p 10s 10p 10d 10f 10g 10h
4d
5s 9s 9p 9d 9f 9g 9h
4p 8s 8p 8d 8f 8g 8h
3d
4s 7s 7p 7d 7f 7g 7h
6s 6p 6d 6f 6g 6h
3p
3s 5s 5p 5d 5f 5g
4s 4p 4d 4f
2p 3s 3p 3d
2s
2s 2p
1s
1s
Pauli exclusion principle – only two electrons can
occupy an orbital and they must have opposite
spins
 4d
5s

4p

4s 3d
s
1 2
1 p
3p 1 2 3 4 5 6
2
3 d
3s 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4
5
2p 6
2s 7

Hund's rule of maximum multiplicity- If two

or more empty orbitals of equal energy
2 2 3
(degenerate orbitals) are available, electrons
1s 1s 2s 2p occupy each with spins parallel until all
+ orbitals have one electron.
Hund’s Rule of Maximum Multiplicity- orbitals with
similar energies are occupied singly by electrons before
filling them up in pairs
 4d
5s

4p

4s 3d
s
1 2
1 p
3p 1 2 3 4 5 6
2
3 d
3s 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4
5
2p 6
2s 7
f
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Look at F. It’s just one electron away from having

1s
1s2 2s2 2p5 filled 2p sublevel…
+ And it’s just one square away from the end of the 2p block.
 MAGNETIC TYPE
• Paramagnetism- characteristic of an element to be
slightly attracted to a magnet. It results from the
presence of unpaired electrons in atomic orbitals
creating magnetic moment for the atom. Electrons
tend to align themselves in the direction of an
external magnetic field.
• Diamagnetism- elements whose orbitals are fully
paired with electrons. Characterized by non-
attraction, or even a slight repulsion of an element to
a magnet.
• Ferromagnetism- spontaneous alignment of the
individual magnetic moment of some paramagnetic
elements when they are close to each other
becoming permanently attracted to a magnet. Ex.
Iron, cobalt and nickel
 4d
5s

4p

4s 3d
s
1 2
1 p
3p 1 2 3 4 5 6
2
3 d
3s 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4
5
2p 6
2s 7
f
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Exactly what is going on… how

1s
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p3 the el configs simply follow the
+ sequence of the periodic table.
 4d
5s

4p

4s 3d
s
1 2
1 p
3p 1 2 3 4 5 6
2
3 d
3s 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4
5
2p 6
2s 7
f
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

1s
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p5
+
 4d
5s

4p

4s 3d
s
1 2
1 p
3p 1 2 3 4 5 6
2
3 d
3s 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4
5
2p 6
2s 7
f
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

1s
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6
+
 4d
5s

4p

4s 3d
s
1 2
1 p
3p 1 2 3 4 5 6
2
3 d
3s 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4
5
2p 6
2s 7
f
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

1s
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2
+
 4d
5s

4p

4s 3d
s
1 2
1 p
3p 1 2 3 4 5 6
2
3 d
3s 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4
5
2p 6
2s 7
f
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

1s
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d6
+
 4d
5s

4p

4s 3d
s
1 2
1 p
3p 1 2 3 4 5 6
2
3 d
3s 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4
5
2p 6
2s 7
f
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

1s
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10
+
 4d
5s

4p

4s 3d
s
1 2
1 p
3p 1 2 3 4 5 6
2
3 d
3s 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4
5
2p 6
2s 7
f
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

1s
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p1
+
 4d
5s

4p

4s 3d
s
1 2
1 p
3p 1 2 3 4 5 6
2
3 d
3s 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4
5
2p 6
2s 7
f
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

1s
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p2
+
 5.2

EXCEPTIONAL ELECTRON
CONFIGURATIONS
• Some actual electron configurations differ from those
assigned using the aufbau principle because half-filled
sublevels are not as stable as filled sublevels, but they
are more stable than other configurations.
• Exceptions to the aufbau principle are due to subtle
electron-electron interactions in orbitals with very similar
energies.
• Chromium has an electron configuration that is an
exception to the aufbau principle. Other elements are
Cu, Cb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag
 4d
5s

4p

4s 3d
s
1 2
1 p
3p 1 2 3 4 5 6
2
3 d
3s 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4
5
2p 6
2s 7
f
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

1s
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 3d5
+
 4d
5s

4p

4s 3d
s
1 2
1 p
3p 1 2 3 4 5 6
2
3 d
3s 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4
5
2p 6
2s 7
f
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

1s
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 3d10
+
ORBITAL DIAGRAMS
BLOCKS AND SUBLEVELS
 QUANTUM NUMBERS

Learning Competencies:
1. use quantum numbers to describe an
electron in an atom
2. Perform exercises on quantum numbers
 QUANTUM NUMBERS
In the quantum-mechanical model,
a number and a letter specify an
orbital.
Principal Quantum Number ( n )
Angular Momentum Quantum # ( l )
Magnetic Quantum Number ( ml )
Spin Quantum Number ( ms )
 QUANTUM NUMBERS
1. Principal Quantum
Number ( n )
1s

• Energy level

• Size of the orbital 2s

• n2 = # of orbitals in
the energy level
3s
Courtesy Christy Johannesson www.nisd.net/communicationsarts/pages/chem
 QUANTUM NUMBERS
2.
Angular Momentum Quantum # ( l )
• Energy sublevel
• Shape of the orbital

s p d
Courtesy Christy Johannesson www.nisd.net/communicationsarts/pages/chem
f
 QUANTUM NUMBERS
3. Magnetic Quantum Number ( ml )
• Orientation of orbital
• Specifies the exact orbital within
each sublevel

Courtesy Christy Johannesson www.nisd.net/communicationsarts/pages/chem

 QUANTUM NUMBERS
4. Spin Quantum Number ( ms )
• Electron spin  +½ or -½
• An orbital can hold 2 electrons
that spin in opposite directions.
• Pauli Exclusion Principle states
that, in an atom or molecule,
no two electrons can have the
same four electronic quantum
numbers. As an orbital can
contain a maximum of only
two electrons, the two
electrons must have opposing
spins. Courtesy Christy Johannesson www.nisd.net/communicationsarts/pages/chem