Section 3.

7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Can you still recall the structure of an

atom from the quantum mechanical
model?

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 Quantum
mechanical
model of the
atom

Erwin Schrödinger
Austrian Physicist
 1926
 Modification of Bohr’s model which deals
with the behavior of the electrons
 Instead of being found in flat circular path
called orbits around the nucleus, they exist
or reside in a three dimensional region in
space called orbital.
According to the modern atomic model, at
atom has a small positively charged nucleus
surrounded by a large region in which there
are enough electrons to make an atom
neutral.
 Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle

It is impossible to simultaneously determine an

electrons momentum and its exact location in
space.
An electron in an atom is described in terms of
four quantum numbers.

Three of the four quantum numbers: n, l and

m describe the atomic orbital.
 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Electron Subshells
• A region of space within an electron shell that
contains electrons that have the same energy.

Subshell Number of Electrons

s 2

p 6

d 10

f 14

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 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Electron Orbitals

Subshell Number of Orbitals

s 1

p 3

d 5

f 7

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 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Electron Orbitals

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 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Orbitals Within the Same Subshell Differ in Orientation

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 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams
Electron Spin

• As an electron “moves about” within an

orbital, it spins on its own axis in either
a clockwise or a counterclockwise
direction.
• When two electrons are present in an
orbital, they always have opposite
spins.

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Table 8.2 Summary of Quantum Numbers of Electrons in Atoms

Name Symbol Permitted Values Property

principal n positive integers(1,2,3,…) orbital energy (size)

angular l integers from 0 to n-1 orbital shape (The l values 0,

momentum 1, 2, and 3 correspond to s, p,
d, and f orbitals respectively.)

magnetic ml integers from -l to 0 to +l orbital orientation

spin ms +1/2 or -1/2 direction of e- spin

 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Question?

How do the electrons are distributed

in an atom’s orbitals?

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 Section 3.7
Learning Objectives
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

• Write the electronic configuration of atoms

• Draw an orbital diagram to represent the electronic
configuration of atoms
• Determine the magnetic property of the atom
based on its electronic structure

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 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Electron Configuration

The distribution of electrons in an atom’s orbital.

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 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Question

What are the things you should consider in

constructing a house?

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 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Rules for Assigning Electrons to Various Shells, Subshells, and

Orbitals

1. Electron subshells are filled in order of

increasing energy. (Aufbau Principle)

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 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

General Rules 6d
5f
7s 6d
5f
6p 7s
5d 6p
4f
6s 5d
Aufbau Principle 4d
5p 6s 4f

5s 5p
4d
– Electrons occupy 4p
3d
5s

4s 4p
orbitals in the 3p 4s
3d

order of Energy 3s 3p

increasing 2p
3s

energy. 2s 2p
2s

1s
1s

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

 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Subshell
Energy Order

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Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Order in which subshells are

1s filled with electrons
2s 2p

3s 3p 3d

4s 4p 4d 4f

5s 5p 5d 5f

6s 6p 6d
2 2 6 2 6 2 10 6 2 10
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d 4p 5s 4d …
7s
 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Electron Configurations

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 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

• An oxygen atom as an electron arrangement of two

electrons in the 1s subshell, two electrons in the 2s
subshell, and four electrons in the 2p subshell.

Oxygen

1 s2 2 s2 2 p 4

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 Section 3.7
Shorthand Configuration
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Na = [1s22s22p6] 3s1 electron configuration

A neon's electron configuration (1s22s22p6)

B third energy level

[Ne] 3s1
C one electron in the s orbital

D orbital shape
 Section 3.7 16
Another example
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams S
32.066

• Longhand Configuration

S 16e- 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4

Core Electrons Valence Electrons

• Shorthand Configuration

S 16e- [Ne] 3s2 3p4

Courtesy Christy Johannesson www.nisd.net/communicationsarts/pages/chem
Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and[He] 2s22p
Orbital 6
3s23p64s23d6
Diagrams
Let’s have an exercise!
Shorthand Configuration
Element symbol Electron configuration
Ca [Ar] 4s2
V [Ar] 4s2 3d3
F [He] 2s2 2p5
Ag [Kr] 5s2 4d9
I [Kr] 5s2 4d10 5p5
Xe [Kr] 5s2 4d10 5p6
Fe [Ar] 4s23d6
Sg [Rn] 7s2 5f14 6d4
Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Exercise: Writing Electron Configuration

1. List down the symbols of atoms with atomic

number 26-30 and write their electron
configurations.
2. Using the shorthand method, write the electron
configurations of atoms with atomic numbers
44-48.
 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Rules for Assigning Electrons to Various Shells, Subshells, and

Orbitals

2. Electrons occupy the orbitals of a subshell such that each

orbital acquires one electron before any orbital acquires a
second electron. All electrons in such singly occupied orbitals
must have the same spin. (Hund’s Rule of Multiplicity)

3. No more than two electrons may exist in a given orbital – and

then only if they have opposite spins.
(Pauli Exclusion Principle)

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 Section 3.7
General Rules
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

• Pauli Exclusion Principle Wolfgang Pauli

 Each orbital can hold TWO electrons with

opposite spins.

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

 Section 3.7
General Rules
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

• Hund’s Rule of Multiplicity

 Within a sublevel, place one electron per orbital
before pairing them.
 “Empty Bus Seat Rule”

WRONG RIGHT
Courtesy Christy Johannesson www.nisd.net/communicationsarts/pages/chem
 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Orbital Diagrams
• A notation that shows how many electrons an
atom has in each of its occupied electron
orbitals.
Oxygen: 1s22s22p4
Oxygen: 1s 2s 2p

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 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Exercise
Determine the expected electron
configurations and orbital diagrams for
each of the following:
a) S
b) Fe
c) Ba

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 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams
Rules for Assigning Electrons to Various Shells, Subshells, and
Orbitals

1. Electron subshells are filled in order of increasing energy.

(Aufbau Principle)
2. Electrons occupy the orbitals of a subshell such that each
orbital acquires one electron before any orbital acquires a
second electron. All electrons in such singly occupied orbitals
must have the same spin. (Hund’s Rule of Multiplicity)
3. No more than two electrons may exist in a given orbital – and
then only if they have opposite spins.
(Pauli Exclusion Principle)

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 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Question

What is the significance of drawing the orbital

diagram of an atom?

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 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Magnetic Properties

• Paramagnetic materials are those that contain

unpaired electrons or spins and are attracted by a
magnet.
• Diamagnetic materials are those with paired spins
and are repelled by a magnet.

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 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Magnetic Properties

Any atom with an odd number of electrons will contain

one or more unpaired spins, and are therefore attracted
by a magnet, thus, can be classified as paramagnetic.
For an even number of electrons like helium, if the two
electrons in the 1s orbital had parallel spins, their net
magnetic fields should strengthen each other. But
experimental results showed that the helium atom in its
ground state has no net magnetic field.

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 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams

Exercises
Atomic Number of Electron Orbital Paramagnetic No. of unpaired
Element Number electrons configuration diagram or diamagnetic electrons

H 1
C 6
Na 11
S 16
Sc 21
Fe 26
Ga 31
Sn 50
Eu 63
W 74

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 Section 3.7
Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams
Summary
• Electron subshells are filled in order of increasing energy.
(Aufbau Principle)
• Electrons occupy the orbitals of a subshell such that each orbital
acquires one electron before any orbital acquires a second electron. All
electrons in such singly occupied orbitals must have the same spin.
(Hund’s Rule of Multiplicity)
• No more than two electrons may exist in a given orbital – and then only if
they have opposite spins.(Pauli Exclusion Principle)
• Paramagnetic materials are those that contain unpaired electrons or
spins and are attracted by a magnet.
• Diamagnetic materials are those with paired spins and are repelled by a
magnet.

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