Al Mawakeb Al Barsha

Science Department 2023-2024

Name: _______________________________ Grade 11 ____

Chemistry
Modern Atomic Theory

According to the last explained structure of the atom, electrons are placed freely around the
nucleus. Niels Bohr develop a new atomic model where he proposed that an electron is
found in a specific circular paths or orbits around the nucleus. Each possible electron orbit
in Bohr’s model has a fixed energy. The fixed energies an electron can have are called
energy levels. A quantum of energy is the amount of energy required to move an electron
from one energy level to another energy level.
Energy levels have sub-levels in which electrons are placed in. These sublevels are labeled
s, p, d, and f. Each sublevel have different number of orbitals which represent the
probability of the electron to be placed in. Each orbital holds 2 electrons only.
Sublevel (s) has 1 orbital  It can holds 2 electrons maximum since each orbit holds 2
electrons only.
Sublevel (p) has 3 orbitals  It can holds 6 electrons maximum
Sublevel (d) has 5 orbitals  It can hold 10 electrons maximum
Sublevel (f) has 7 orbitals  It can hold 14 electrons maximum

The diagram below shows the number of sublevels in each energy level:
1s
2s 2p
3s 3p 3d
4s 4p 4d 4f
5s 5p 5d 5f
6s 6p 6d
7s 7p

Level 1 has 1 orbital for sublevel (s)

Total number of orbitals in level 1 is 1 and holds maximum 2 electrons
Level 2 has 1 orbital for sublevel (s) and 3 orbitals for sublevel (p)
Total number of orbitals in level 2 is 4 and holds maximum 8 electrons
Level 3 has 1 orbital for sublevel (s) and 3 orbitals for sublevel (p) and 5 orbitals for
sublevel (d)
Total number of orbitals in level 3 is 9 and holds maximum 18 electrons
Level 4 has 1 orbital for sublevel (s) and 3 orbitals for sublevel (p) and 5 orbitals for
sublevel (d) and 7 orbitals for sublevel (f)
Total number of orbitals in level 4 is 16 and holds maximum 32 electrons

When you want to represent the orbitals, we draw them as square.

Al Mawakeb Al Barsha
Science Department 2023-2024

To write the electron configuration of certain element, you have to follow the following three
principals.

a- Aufbau Principle: Electrons are spread over levels and sublevels in increasing order
of energy, (from the lowest energy needed to the higher one) according to the following
order.

b- Pauli Exclusion Principle: We know that each orbital contains two electrons. But
this principle states that these orbits should not contain the same probability of
electrons, called the electron spin. Spin is a quantum mechanical property of
electrons and may be thought as clockwise and anticlockwise.

1s
The 2 arrows show the spin of the electrons (up and
down)

c- Hund’s rule: In case of sublevels that have more than 1 orbital, fill all orbits first
before doubling one of them

In case of p 3, such configuration is wrong since

first orbit contains 2 spins while the last orbit is still empty
This is the correct configuration
Al Mawakeb Al Barsha
Science Department 2023-2024

Example: How to write electron configuration and represent atomic orbital document for
Chlorine element.

Using the periodic table, Chlorine has atomic number 17. Since it is a neutral element,
then atomic number = protons number = electrons number = 17.

We need to distribute the 17 electrons into the levels and sublevels. Following the Aufbau
principle, the electron configuration will be as follow:

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p5

Last sublevel, p, in level 3 has 5 electrons. It is true that p-sublevel can hold 6 electrons
but only 5 electrons are left so we place only 5.

To represent the atomic orbital diagram, we will follow Pauli Exclusion and Hund’s rules.

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p5

Each orbital should be filled with upward line first, then followed by the other spin line
downward.
For Example, in case of 2p4

Correct representation Wrong representation

There is a relation between the periodic table trends and electron configuration that can be
illustrated in the image below.
Al Mawakeb Al Barsha
Science Department 2023-2024

As illustrated above, the elements in the periodic table are arranged in a way that columns
are distributed based on the highest level and sublevel that contains electrons. Row
number will be related to the highest filled level and column number will be related to the
last orbital filled and the number of electrons in it.

You can divide the table into blocks. Columns 1 & 2 will end with s orbitals. Since s can
hold 2 electrons, then configuration of elements in column 1 will end with s 1 configuration
and configuration of elements in column 2 will end with s 2 configuration.

Example:
Lithium is in Row 2 so the highest level will be 2. Lithium is in column 1 so the
configuration will end with s1. Configuration of lithium element will finish with 2s1.

Columns 13 to 18 will end with p-orbitals. Since p orbitals can hold 6 electrons, then
configuration of elements in column 13 will end with p 1 configuration and configuration of
elements in column 14 will end with p2 configuration until column 18 that will end with p 6
configuration.
Al Mawakeb Al Barsha
Science Department 2023-2024

Example:
Arsenic is in Row 4 so the highest level will be 4. Arsenic is in column 15 so the
configuration will end with p3. Configuration of Arsenic will end with 4p3 configuration.

Columns 3 to 12 will end with d-orbitals. Since d orbitals can hold 10 electrons, then
configuration of elements in column 3 will end with d 1 configuration and configuration of
elements in column 4 will end with d2 configuration until column 12 that will end with d 10
configuration.

Note: In s and p blocks, the row number (n) represents the highest s and p orbitals.
In d block, the row number minus 1 (n-1) represents the highest d orbital.

Example:
Niobium is Row 5 so the highest level will be 5. Since Niobium is column 5 so the
configuration will end with d3. Configuration of Niobium will end with 4d3.
It is true it is row 5 but as mentioned above, highest d block will be n-1 so 5-1=4

Last section at the bottom of the periodic table is not extra rows. Elements in those
sections belong to rows 6 and 7 and the configuration will end with 4 blocks. Since f orbital
can hold to 14 electrons then first element will end with f 1 configuration and the last one
will end with f14.

Note: In s and p blocks, the row number (n) represents the highest s and p orbitals.
In f block, the row number minus 1 (n-2) represents the highest f orbital.

Example:
Uranium is in row 7 so configuration will end with 5f and since it is the fourth part then it
will finish with 5f4.

Note: All blocks are grouped together with one exception for s 2. The reason behind that all
elements in column 18 have full orbitals in the highest level.

Example:
Al Mawakeb Al Barsha
Science Department 2023-2024

Neon: 1s2 2s2 2p6

Highest level is 2 and the sublevels are s and p (both are filled with 2 and 6 respectively)

Argon: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6

Highest level is 3 and the sublevels are s and p (both are filled with 2 and 6 respectively)

So, in Helium the configuration 1s2

The highest level is 1 and there is only one sublevel which is s. Since this sublevel is full
then they placed Helium with group 18.

Outermost energy level (Valence Shell) is the highest filled energy level.
Electrons in the highest energy level are called valence electrons.

From each electron configuration we can identify the valence shell and valence electron for
every element.

Ge: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p2

32

The highest level is 4 so valence shell is 4

The highest number of electrons in shell 4 is (2 and 2 that gives 4)

The valence shell represents the row that the elements belong to in the periodic table. The
valence electron represents the column that the elements belong to in the periodic table.

V. Shell Row V. e- Column

1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2
3 3 3 13
4 4 4 14
5 5 5 15
6 6 6 16
7 7 7 17
8 18

The image below represents the information in the table above

Al Mawakeb Al Barsha
Science Department 2023-2024

Lewis Dot Structure is a representation for valence electrons for each element. You must
write the symbol of the element then around it you represent valence electrons by adding
dots. The dots can be placed in four positions only. Above the symbol, below the symbol, to
the right side and the left side of the symbol only.

The image below represents the electron dot structure of elements based on their position
in the periodic table.

Another way to write electron configuration of an element mainly those that have high
atomic number example 32Ge.
Al Mawakeb Al Barsha
Science Department 2023-2024

1- Check to which row does this element belongs to.

2- Go one row backward and choose the noble gas element in this row.
3- write this element’s symbol inside [].
4- Start from the (s) sublevel according to the row that the elements belong to
5- Check the difference between the atomic number of the desired element, and the
atomic number of the noble gas element written in the [], then continue the
configuration to arrange all remaining electrons.

For example, Ge is in row 4 so we have to choose the noble gas element in row 3 which is
32

18Ar.

The difference in atomic number is 32 – 18 = 14 so we have to continue arranging 14

electrons and since 32Ge belongs to row 4 we have to start from 4s sublevel
[18Ar] 4s2 3d10 4p2 (2+10+2=14)

There are some exceptions in the configuration of elements in the periodic table. These
exceptions are for the transition metals in columns 6 and 11 (Chromium, Copper,
Molybdenum, silver, Tungsten and gold).

If these elements follow the 3 principles for writing electron configuration, they will need 1,
or 2 electrons either to half fill complete level or to completely fill it. Example:

Cr: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d4

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The following configuration is done if we followed the three principals Aufbau, Pauli
Exclusion and Hund’s rules. But the exception in this case is that the 3d sublevel needs
only 1 electron to be half-filled. If the element has half-filled 3d sublevel, it will be more
stable than the above configuration. So take one electron from the 4s and fill it to the 3d.

The right configuration for (Cr) is:

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

24
Al Mawakeb Al Barsha
Science Department 2023-2024

This Cr is more stable one.

29Cu: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d9

The following configuration is done if we followed the three principals stated above. But the
exception in this case is that the 3d sublevel needs only 1 electron to be fully-filled. If the
element has fully-filled 3d sublevel, it will be more stable than the above configuration. So
take one electron from the 4s to the 3d sublevel. The right configuration for (Cu) is:
2 2 6 2 6 1 10
29Cu: 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d

This Cu is more stable one.