Chapter 7

Electron Configuration

Quantum Numbers
Each electron in an atom can be
1. 2. 3. 4.

described by 4 quantum numbers. Energy Level =n (Levels 1-7) Sublevel = l (6 sublevels:spdfgh) Spin = ms (spin up & spin down) Orientation = ml (orientation in electron cloud)

Pauli Exclusion Principle

States that no 2 electrons in an atom can

have the same 4 quantum numbers. Heres an example of an energy level diagram for Na:

Electron Configuration
Configures the most stable arrangement

of electrons in sublevels and orbitals. On the periodic table: Groups 1 & 2 are the s orbital Groups 13-18 are the p orbitals Groups 3-12 are the d orbitals Inner transition metals are the f orbitals

Orbitals
The s orbital holds a maximum of 2

electrons The p orbital holds a maximum of 6 electrons The d orbital holds a maximum of 10 electrons The f orbital holds a maximum of 14 electrons

Orbitals Continued
When placing electrons into each orbital

you must make sure all orbitals have a single electron first before assigning the second electron. Once this is done, you may go back and fill in the orbitals with the remaining electrons.

Example 1
Write the electron configuration of N.
1. Find the atomic number of nitrogen. 2. How many electrons does it have?

3. Begin with the lowest energy level and

work your way up. N = 1s2 2s2 2p1 2p1 2p1 Notice that all 3 p orbitals were filled up first instead of just the first one.

 Each block or element represents 1

electron. Each time you move to the next element (from left to right) you are adding another electron to the configuration.

On Your Own
EX 1: Electron configuration of Li
EX 2: Electron configuration of Ne EX 3: Electron configuration of Ti

Noble Gas Configuration

As you progress to higher atomic

numbers, it becomes difficult to write out the electron configuration. A shortcut to electron configuration of higher atomic elements is called noble gas configuration. EX: Ti EX: Br

Noble Gas Configuration

It is called the noble gas configuration

because you will use the electron configuration of the noble gases as an abbreviation. The electron configuration of the noble gases is used because they fill up all of their outermost energy levels making them stable.

Example 1
Cl

1. Find the atomic number of Cl.

2. How many electrons does it have? 3. What is the nearest noble gas element?

(Keep in mind it could have an atomic number less that Cl) 4. Put that noble gas in [brackets] then continue where it has left off. 5. Cl = [Ne] 3s2 3p2 3p2 3p1

On Your Own
Write the noble gas configuration of Zn
Write the noble gas configuration of Pb Write the noble gas configuration of Au

Exceptions

There are exceptions to the rules of electron configuration. 3 elements violate the electron configuration rule: 1. Cr & Cu violate the rule because their s & d orbitals are so close together. 2. Pd violates the rule for stability reasons.

Orbital Size
As the number or the outermost energy

level increase, the size and energy of the orbital increases. As you move down the columns, the energy of the outermost sublevel increases. The higher the energy level, the farther the outermost electrons are from the nucleus

 As the valence electrons gets farther from the

nucleus, the s orbital it occupies gets larger. Elements within the same group share similar valence electron structures but do not have the same number of energy levels and thus does not yield the same amount of energy.

Key Concepts
The position of an element in the

periodic table reveals the number of valence electrons. The outermost valence electrons determine the properties of an element. Electrons are found only in levels of fixed energy in an atom.

 Energy levels have sublevels.

Each sublevel can hold a specific number of electrons. Sublevels can be divided into s, p, d, and f orbitals. Sublevels hold 2, 6, 10, 18 electrons respectively. The organization of the periodic table reflects the electron configuration of the elements.

 The active metals occupy the s block of

the periodic table while metals, metalloids, and non metals occupy the p block. Within a period of the periodic table, the number of valence electrons for main group elements increases from 1 to 8. The transition elements, groups 3-12, occupy the d block of the periodic table. These elements can have valence electrons in both s & d orbitals.

 The lanthanides and actinides, called the

inner transition elements, occupy the f block of the periodic table. Their valence electrons are in the s and f sublevels.

References
Phillips, John S., Victor S. Strozak, and

Cheryl Wistrom. "Chapter 7: Completing the Model of the Atom." Chemistry: concepts and applications. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2005. 228 - 251.