Electron Configurations and Orbital Diagrams KEY

Draw orbital diagrams for the following elements:

1. phosphorus

↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑ ↑ ↑
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d 4p
2. nickel

↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑ ↑
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d 4p
3. bromine

↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d 4p
4. potassium

↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d 4p
5. argon

↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d 4p

Draw orbital diagrams for the following elements. Write the electron configuration (full, and in core notation):
1. scandium

↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d
Full electron configuration: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d1 Core notation: [Ar] 4s2 3d1

2. chlorine

↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p
Full electron configuration: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p5 Core notation: [Ne] 3s2 3p5

3. zinc

↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d
2 2 6 2 6 2 10 2 10
Full electron configuration: 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d Core notation: [Ar] 4s 3d

4. germanium

↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑ ↑
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d 4p
Full electron configuration: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p2 Core notation: [Ar] 4s2 3d10 4p2

5. aluminum

↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p
Full electron configuration: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p1 Core notation: [Ne] 3s2 3p1

6. titanium

↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑ ↑
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d
2 2 6 2 6 2 2 2 2
Full electron configuration: 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d Core notation: [Ar] 4s 3d

7. krypton

↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d 4p
2 2 6 2 6 2 10 6 10 2 6
Full electron configuration: 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d 3p Core notation: [Ar] 3d 4s 4p

8. chromium

↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d
Full electron configuration: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d4 Core notation: [Ar] 4s2 3d4
 Write the electron configuration (full, and in core notation) for the following ions:

1. Br-1 13. Cu+3

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 7. Sn+4 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d8
10 2 6 2 2 6 2 6 10 2 6 10 10 8
[Kr], [Ar] 3d 4s 4p 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 3d 4s 4p 4d [Kr] 4d [Ar] 3d

2. Sr+2 8. Ag+1 14. Fe+3

2 2 6 2 6 10 2 6
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 3d 4s 4p 2 2 6 2 6
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 3d 4s 4p 4d
10 2 6 10
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d5
[Kr], [Ar] 3d10 4s2 4p6 [Kr] 4d
10
[Ar] 3d5

3. Se-2 9. Zn+2 15. Mn+2

2 2 6 2 6 10 2 6 2 2 6 2 6 10 2 2 6 2 6 5
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 3d 4s 4p 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 3d 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 3d
10 2 6 5
[Kr], [Ar] 3d 4s 4p [Ar] 3d10 [Ar] 3d

4. Al+3 10. O-2 16. W+1

2 2 6
1s 2s 2p 2 2
1s 2s 2p 6
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 4f14 5s2 5p6 5d4 6s1
[Xe] 4f14 5d4 6s1
5. Fe+2 11. Pt+4
2 2 6 2
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 3d
6 6 2 2 6 2 6 10 2
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 3d 4s 4p 4d 4f 5s 5p 5d
6 10 14 2 6 6 17. Mo+3
6
[Ar] 3d 14
[Xe] 4f 5d
6 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d3
3
[Kr] 4d
6. As-3 12. Zr+2
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d104s2 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d2 18. Pb+2
[Ar] 4s2 3d10 [Kr] 4d2
2 2 6 2 6 10 2 6 10
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 3d 4s 4p 4d 4f 5s 5p 5d 6s
14 2 6 10 2

[Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2

Answer the following questions:

1. Describe the two differences between a 2px orbital and a 3py orbital.
The 2px orbital lies on the x-axis. The 3py orbital lies on the y-axis and is larger than the 2px orbital.

2. The lobes of a p orbital disappear at the nucleus. What does this tell us about electrons in p orbitals?
The probability of finding an electron at the nucleus is 0 (you will never find an electron in the nucleus).

3. The electron configuration for phosphorus, written in core notation, is [Ne] 3s2 3p3. What two things does Hund’s rule tell us
about the three electrons in the 3p sublevel?
The 3p electrons are in three different orbitals and have the same spin.

4. Use the periodic table to identify the neutral atoms having the following electron configurations:

Electron Configuration Element

2
[Ne] 3s magnesium
2 5
[Ar] 4s 3d manganese
[Kr] 5s2 4d10 5p3 antimony

5. Consider the following ions: N–3, O–2, F–1, Na+1, Mg +2, and Al+3.
a. How many electrons are present in each ion? 10
b. Write a single electron configuration representing all the ions. 1s2 2s2 2p6
c. Which neutral atom possesses this electron configuration? Neon