1.

5 MORE ELECTRON ARRANGEMENTS

OBJECTIVES:
To describe how electrons fill energy levels, including the
s, p, d and f sub-levels
To explain how chromium and copper are different
SUMMARY SO FAR

KEY WORDS:

Write a 3 sentence summary of

electrons as you know them at
present

ENERGY LEVEL
ORBITAL
SUB-LEVEL
SPIN

1.5 MORE ELECTRON ARRANGEMENTS

ENERGY LEVELS
Electrons have fixed energies, they move around the
nucleus in regions called shells or energy levels
Different shells have differing amounts of energy. Level 1
contains electrons closest to the nucleus. These have the
lowest energy
Not all the electrons in a shell have exactly the same
amount of energy.
Shells are divided into sub-shells that have slightly
different energies
Sub shells have orbitals which can each hold up to 2

1.5 MORE ELECTRON ARRANGEMENTS

ENERGY LEVELS
Main Energy
Level (Shell)
Sub-level(s)

Orbitals

(10e)

(14e)

Total electrons

(2e) (2e) (6e) (2e) (6e)

18

(10e)

(2e) (6e)

32

Each orbital in a sub-level can hold a maximum of 2 electrons

There is a single s-orbital, 3 p-orbitals of the same energy,
5 d-orbitals and 7 f-orbitals

1.5 MORE ELECTRON ARRANGEMENTS

WHAT ARE ORBITALS?
Electrons are no longer considered as particles but as a
cloud of negative charge
An orbital is a region in this space where we are likely to
find an electron.
Orbitals can hold up to two electrons as long as they have
opposite spin; this is known as PAULIS EXCLUSION
PRINCIPAL.
Orbitals have different shapes...

1.5 MORE ELECTRON ARRANGEMENTS

SHAPE OF ORBITALS

ORBITAL

SHAPE

OCCURRENCE

spherical

one in every principal level

dumb-bell

three in levels from 2 up

various

five in levels from 3 up

various

seven in levels from 4 up

1.5 MORE ELECTRON ARRANGEMENTS

SHAPE OF ORBITALS

S orbital
P orbitals

1.5 MORE ELECTRON ARRANGEMENTS

SHAPE OF ORBITALS

D orbitals

1.5 MORE ELECTRON ARRANGEMENTS

FILLING ORBITALS
Orbitals are not filled in
numerical order because
the principal energy
levels get closer
together as you get
further from the
nucleus.
This results in overlap of
sub levels. The first
example occurs when the
4s orbital is filled
before the 3d orbitals.

PRINCIPAL
ENERGY
LEVELS
4

SUB LEVELS
4f
4d
4p
3d
4s
3p
3s

2p
2s

1s

1.5 MORE ELECTRON ARRANGEMENTS

HOW TO REMEMBER
THE FILLING ORDER
1s

RULES FOR FILLING

ORBITALS:
1. Fill up lowest energy
sub levels first
(Aufbau Principle)

2s

2p

3s

3p

3d

4s

4p

4d

4f

5s

5p

5d

5f

6s

6p

6d

7s

7p

2. Fill orbitals singly at

first before doubling
(Hunds Rule)
3. Remember that 4s is
filled before 3d!

1.5 MORE ELECTRON ARRANGEMENTS

PUTTING ELECTRONS INTO ATOMIC ORBITALS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p
3s

2p
2s

1s

Orbitals within a sub

level can be shown as
boxes
Electrons have a property
called spin (although
electrons are not actually
spinning)
2 electrons in the same
orbital must have
opposite spins
We represent electrons
using half arrows either
pointing up or down

1.5 MORE ELECTRON ARRANGEMENTS

THE AUFBAU PRINCIPLE:

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

2p
2s

ELECTRONS
ENTER THE
LOWEST
AVAILABLE
ENERGY LEVEL

3p
3s

This states that

1s

The following
sequence will show
the building up of
the electronic
structures of the
first 36 elements in
the periodic table.

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p

HYDROGEN

1s1
Hydrogen atoms have one
electron. This goes into a
vacant orbital in the lowest
available energy level.

3s

2p
2s

1s

Aufbau
Principle

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p
3s

2p
2s

1s

HELIUM

1s2
Every orbital can contain 2
electrons, provided the
electrons are spinning in
opposite directions. This is
based on...
PAULIS EXCLUSION
PRINCIPLE
The two electrons in a
helium atom can both go in
the 1s orbital.

Aufbau
Principle

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p
3s

2p
2s

1s

LITHIUM

1s2 2s1
1s orbitals can hold a
maximum of two electrons
so the third electron in a
lithium atom must go into
the next available orbital of
higher energy. This will be
further from the nucleus in
the second principal
energy level.
The second principal level
has two types of orbital (s
and p). An s orbital is lower
in energy than a p.
Aufbau
Principle

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p

BERYLLIUM

1s2 2s2
Beryllium atoms have four
electrons so the fourth
electron pairs up in the 2s
orbital. The 2s sub level is
now full.

3s

2p
2s

1s

Aufbau
Principle

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p
3s

2p
2s

1s

BORON

1s2 2s2 2p1

As the 2s sub level is now
full, the fifth electron goes
into one of the three p
orbitals in the 2p sub level.
The 2p orbitals are slightly
higher in energy than the
2s orbital.

Aufbau
Principle

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p
3s

2p
2s

CARBON

1s2 2s2 2p2

The next electron in
doesnt pair up with the
one already there. This
would give rise to
repulsion between the
similarly charged species.
Instead, it goes into
another p orbital which
means less repulsion,
lower energy and more
stability.

HUNDS RULE
1

1s

OF
MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p
3s

2p

NITROGEN

1s2 2s2 2p3

Following Hunds Rule,
the next electron will not
pair up so goes into a
vacant p orbital. All three
electrons are now
unpaired. This gives less
repulsion, lower energy
and therefore more
stability.

2s
HUNDS RULE
1

1s

OF
MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p

OXYGEN

1s2 2s2 2p4

With all three orbitals halffilled, the eighth electron in
an oxygen atom must now
pair up with one of the
electrons already there.

3s

2p
2s

1s

Aufbau
Principle

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p
3s

2p
2s

1s

FLUORINE

1s2 2s2 2p5

The electrons continue to
pair up with those in the
half-filled orbitals.

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p
3s

2p
2s

1s

NEON

1s2 2s2 2p6

The electrons continue to
pair up with those in the
half-filled orbitals. The 2p
orbitals are now
completely filled and so is
the second principal
energy level.
In the older system of
describing electronic
configurations, this would
have been written as 2,8.

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p
3s

2p
2s

SODIUM - ARGON

1s

With the second principal

energy level full, the next
electrons must go into the
next highest level. The
third principal energy level
contains three types of
orbital; s, p and d.
The 3s and 3p orbitals are
filled in exactly the same
way as those in the 2s and
2p sub levels.
Aufbau
Principle

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
Na

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1

Mg

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2

Al

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p1

3p

Si

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p2

3s

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p3

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4

Cl

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p5

Ar

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6

4p
3d
4s
3

2p
2s

SODIUM - ARGON

1s

Remember that the 3p

configurations follow Hunds
Rule with the electrons
remaining unpaired to give
more stability.

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p
3s

2p
2s

1s

POTASSIUM

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1

In numerical terms one
would expect the 3d
orbitals to be filled next.
However, because the
principal energy levels get
closer together as you go
further from the nucleus
coupled with the splitting
into sub energy levels, the
4s orbital is of a LOWER
ENERGY than the 3d
orbitals so gets filled first.

Aufbau
Principle

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p
3s

2p
2s

1s

CALCIUM

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2

As expected, the next
electron pairs up to
complete a filled 4s orbital.
This explanation, using
sub levels fits in with the
position of potassium and
calcium in the Periodic
Table. All elements with an
-s1 electronic configuration
are in Group I and all with
an -s2 configuration are in
Group II.

Aufbau
Principle

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p
3s

SCANDIUM

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d1

With the lower energy 4s
orbital filled, the next
electrons can now fill the
3d orbitals. There are five d
orbitals. They are filled
according to Hunds Rule BUT WATCH OUT FOR
TWO SPECIAL CASES.

2p
2s

HUNDS RULE
OF
MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY

1s

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p
3s

TITANIUM

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d2

The 3d orbitals are filled
according to Hunds rule
so the next electron
doesnt pair up but goes
into an empty orbital in the
same sub level.
HUNDS RULE

2p
2s

1s

OF
MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p
3s

VANADIUM

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d3

The 3d orbitals are filled
according to Hunds rule
so the next electron
doesnt pair up but goes
into an empty orbital in the
same sub level.
HUNDS RULE

2p
2s

1s

OF
MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p
3s

2p

CHROMIUM

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

One would expect the
configuration of chromium
atoms to end in 4s2 3d4.
To achieve a more stable
arrangement of lower
energy, one of the 4s
electrons is promoted into
the 3d to give six unpaired
electrons with lower
repulsion.

2s
HUNDS RULE
1

1s

OF
MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

MANGANESE

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d5

The new electron goes into
the 4s to restore its filled
state.

3p
3s
HUNDS RULE

2p
2s

1s

OF
MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

IRON

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d6

Orbitals are filled
according to Hunds Rule.
They continue to pair up.

3p
3s
HUNDS RULE

2p
2s

1s

OF
MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

COBALT

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d7

Orbitals are filled
according to Hunds Rule.
They continue to pair up.

3p
3s
HUNDS RULE

2p
2s

1s

OF
MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

NICKEL

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d8

Orbitals are filled
according to Hunds Rule.
They continue to pair up.

3p
3s
HUNDS RULE

2p
2s

1s

OF
MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p
3s

2p
2s

1s

COPPER

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 3d10

One would expect the
configuration of chromium
atoms to end in 4s2 3d9.
To achieve a more stable
arrangement of lower
energy, one of the 4s
electrons is promoted into
the 3d.

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p
3s

2p
2s

1s

ZINC

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10

The electron goes into the
4s to restore its filled state
and complete the 3d and
4s orbital filling.

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

GALLIUM - KRYPTON
The 4p orbitals are filled in
exactly the same way as
those in the 2p and 3p sub
levels.

3p
3s
HUNDS RULE

2p
2s

1s

OF
MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY

THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS

INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS

4f
4

4d
4p
3d
4s

3p
3s

GALLIUM - KRYPTON
Prefix with
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10

Ga

- 4p1

Ge

- 4p2

As

- 4p3

Se

2p

- 4p4

Br

- 4p5

Kr

- 4p6

2s

1s

Remember that the 4p

configurations follow Hunds
Rule with the electrons
remaining unpaired to give
more stability.

1.5 MORE ELECTRON ARRANGEMENTS

SHORTHAND ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS
Rather than drawing box and arrow diagrams we can use a
shorthand method that writes out the sublevels:
E.g. Sodium (11 electrons)
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1
Can simplify things further by using previous noble gas
symbol. E.g. Calcium
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 becomes
[Ar] 4s

What about for

ions?

1.5 MORE ELECTRON ARRANGEMENTS

OVER TO YOU
Draw spin diagrams for the first 36 elements
[Remember be careful with chromium and copper!]
Add in the full shorthand electronic configurations
Come up to the front to mark your work when done
EXTENSION:
Summary Questions on page 16

1.5 MORE ELECTRON ARRANGEMENTS

QUICKDRAW
Put your work away
Get into groups of 4
On your whiteboards you must write the shorthand
configuration of the given element OR state the element
shown
In your groups judge who gets the correct answer in the
fastest time and award:
1st
2nd
3rd
4th

=
=
=
=

3
2
1
0

points
points
point
points

1.5 MORE ELECTRON ARRANGEMENTS

1. Lithium

1s2 2s1

2. Neon

1s2 2s2 2p6

3. 1s2 2s2 2p3

Nitrogen

4. 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p1

Aluminium

5. Potassium

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1

6. 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d5 4s1

Chromium

1.5 MORE ELECTRON ARRANGEMENTS

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL
Top scorer from each group now go head to head to be
crowned Electron King/Queen
First correct whiteboard placed in front of me wins

Q:Write the
shorthand for
Copper

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s1

1.5 MORE ELECTRON ARRANGEMENTS

I CAN

I AM

Identify the order sub levels are filled in

Describe the rules for filling sub-levels

Draw spin diagrams and write electronic

configurations up to Z = 36
Explain how and why copper and chromium fill
their sub-levels differently

A
A*

SUMMARY SO FAR
Write a 3 sentence summary of electron arrangements as
you now know them how does it differ to your summary
at the start??