ELECTRON

CONFIGURATION
Prepared by:

Eden C. Sanchez
 Objectives
1. Explain the unique electron distribution of the
atom;
2. Compare and contrast the orbital energies in a
hydrogen atom with that of the many-electron
atom;
3. Write the electron configuration of an atom
using the conventional method as well as the
core noble gas configurations;
 Objectives

4. Illustrate the electron distribution using orbital

diagrams;
5. Determine magnetic properties of an atom
based on its electronic configuration; and
6. Determine valence configuration and valence
electrons.
7. Relate valence configuration of elements with
position of element in the periodic table.
 Keywords

a. Ground state
b. Excited state
c. Degenerate
d. Electron configuration
e. Orbital Diagram
f. Pauli Exclusion Principle
g. Paramagnetic
 Keywords

h. Diamagnetic
i. Hund’s Rule
j. Building-Up Principle (Aufbau Principle)
k. Noble gas
l. Transition metals
m. Valence configuration
n. Valence electrons
 ENERGIES OF THE ORBITALS

1. Orbital energy levels in a hydrogen atom

The energy of an electron in a hydrogen atom
depends solely on its principal quantum number, n.
 Orbitals with the same principal quantum number, n,
have the same energy. It means that in a hydrogen
atom, the lowest energy is 1s. It is the most stable
condition, or termed as the ground state. An
electron in the ground state is most strongly held by
the nucleus.
 ENERGIES OF THE ORBITALS

 The 2s, and the three 2p-orbitals have the same

energy.
 Degenerate - orbitals with the same energy
 When an external energy hits a hydrogen atom, the
electron in the 1s orbital, can jump to the 2s, 2p or
higher orbitals and this electron is said to be in the
excited state.
 Similarly, the 3s, the three 3p-orbitals and the five 3d-
orbitals are degenerate and have higher energy than
the orbitals in the 2nd energy level.
 ENERGIES OF THE ORBITALS

2. Orbital energy levels for many-electron atoms

For atoms containing more than one
electron (many-electron atoms), the energy
depends on other factors. These include the
potential energy of repulsion among the electrons,
the attraction between the nucleus and the other
electrons, and the kinetic energies of the many
electrons.
 Thus the orbital energies of many-electron
atoms depend not only on n but also on ℓ.
 ELECTRON CONFIGURATION

The four quantum numbers n, ℓ, ml, and ms

are very useful in labelling an electron in any
orbital in an atom much like giving the
address of an electron in an atom.
The arrangement of electron in H atom is
possible to represent in terms of electron
configuration or orbital diagram.
 ELECTRON CONFIGURATION

The electron configuration shows the

distribution of electrons of an atom in the
atomic orbitals.
The orbital diagram shows the spin of the
electron.
In filling up the orbitals, the lower energy levels
are filled up first before the higher energy levels.
 ELECTRON CONFIGURATION

 Pauli Exclusion Principle – states that in an atom

or molecule, no two electrons can have the
same four electronic quantum numbers.
 an orbital can contain a maximum of only two
electrons, the two electrons must have
opposing spins. This means if one is assigned an
up-spin (+1/2), the other must be down-spin(-1/2).
Exercises:

1. What are the possible sets of quantum

numbers that can describe a 2p electron in an
atom?
2. Give the electron configuration of Li. Give the
set of quantum numbers that describe the
outermost electron in lithium as shown in the
orbital diagram.
4. Give the electron configuration of Be. Draw
the orbital diagram.
5. Give the electron configuration of B. Draw
the orbital diagram.
Hund’s Rule

 arrangement provides a different energy value.

 The one with the lowest energy has the greatest
stability.
 Hund’s rule is the guide in determining the most
stable distribution.
 Hund’s rule: The most stable arrangement of
electrons in the subshells is the one with the most
number of parallel spins.
 Measurements of magnetic properties provide
the most direct evidence for specific electronic
configurations of elements.
 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.
 Any atom with an odd number of electrons will
contain one or more unpaired spins, and are
therefore attracted by a magnet, can be classified
as paramagnetic.
 For an even number of electrons like helium, if
the two electrons in the 1s orbitals had parallel
spins, their net magnetic fields should strengthen
each other. Thus, helium gas is diamagnetic.
Exercises:

Fill in the following table:

Element Atomic No. of Orbital Electron Paramag No. of
No. electrons Diagram Configura netic/Dia Unpaired
tion magnetic Electrons

H 1
He 2
Li 3
Be 4
B 5
C 6
N 7
O 8
F 9
Ne 10
Aufbau Principle

dictates that as protons are added one by one to

the nucleus to build up the elements, electrons
are similarly added to the atomic orbitals.
The order of filling up the atomic orbitals is from
lowest energy to highest energy.
Within the same principal quantum number, the
order of energies of the atomic orbitals is
s<p<d<f
The electron configuration of elements higher than
hydrogen and helium can be represented using the
noble gas core. In the periodic table, the noble
gases are found in the last column named as Group
8A (or Group 18 in the IUPAC convention). These
are 2He, 10Ne, 18Ar, 36Kr, 54Xe, 86Rn.
Example:

Element Atomic No. of Electron Noble Gas

No. Electrons Configuratio Configurati
n on
He 2 2 1s2 [He]
Li 3 3 1s2 2s1 [He] 2s1
Be 4 4 1s2 2s2 [He] 2s2
B 5 5 1s2 2s2 2p1 [He] 2s2 2p1
C 6 6 1s2 2s2 2p2 [He] 2s2 2p2
Important data that can be gathered from the
shortened electronic configuration are the following:

a. Valence configuration – The electronic

configuration representing the outermost
subshells.
b. Valence electrons – the number of electrons
in the outermost subshells.
 Example:

Element Noble Gas Valence Valence

Configuration Configuration Electron
Li [He] 2s1 2s1 1
Be [He] 2s2 2s2 2
B [He] 2s2 2p1 2s2 2p1 3
N [He] 2s2 2p3 2s2 2p3 5
Ne [Ne] 2s2 2p6 8
Element Noble Gas Valence Valence
Configuration Configuration Electron
Sc [Ar] 4s2 3d1 4s2 3d1 3
Cr [Ar] 4s2 3d4 4s2 3d4 6
Ga [Ar] 4s2 3d10 4p1 4s2 3d10 4p1 3
 THE QUANTUM NUMBERS AND THE
ARRANGEMENTS OF ELEMENTS IN THE PERIODIC
TABLE
Exercises:
1. What is the location of the element in the periodic
table with the outermost valence electron
represented by the following set of quantum
numbers:
a. n=2 l=1 ml=+1 ms=+½
b. n=3 l=0 ml=0 ms=-½
2. Using the electron configuration, what is the period
and group number of
a. 13Al
b. 29Cu
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