Electron Configurations

Electron Configurations
• Electron Configurations – the way
electrons are arranged (placed) around the
nucleus.
nucleus
• Guiding Principle: electrons are arranged
in a way that gives the lowest energy to the
atom. (low energy = high stability)
 Rules for Electron
Configurations
• Aufbau Principle – lowest energy levels fill first.
• Pauli Exclusion Principle – no two electrons in an atom
can be at the same place at the same time. All atomic
orbitals can only hold 2 electrons maximum & they have
to be spinning opposite directions.
• Hund’s Rule – Don’t pair until you have to. When
electrons can go into orbitals of equal energy (ex.3 types
of p orbitals) one electron enters each orbital until each
has one electron. They all spin the same direction until
they pair up.
• Each orbital corresponds to a specific section on the
periodic table.
How orbitals align on the
Periodic Table
Drawing Orbital Box Diagrams
 You try a few!

• Nitrogen

1s2 2s2 2p3

• Chlorine

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p5

Write the electron configurations
for the following elements:
• Hydrogen 1s1
• Helium 1s2
• Lithium 1s22s1
• Beryllium 1s22s2
• Boron 1s22s22p1
• Fluorine 1s22s22p5
• Sodium 1s22s22p63s1
• Phosphorus 1s22s22p63s23p3
 Using the “d” orbitals
• The transition metals use the “d” orbitals
to denote their electron configurations.
• “d” orbitals have a higher energy level
than “s” orbitals with a larger number.
Therefore, the “s” orbital will fill before
the “d” orbital.
• There are exceptions to the rule within the
transition elements.
 Examples
• Scandium
1s22s22p63s23p64s23d1
• Titanium
1s22s22p63s23p64s23d2
• Vanadium
1s22s22p63s23p64s23d3
 You try a few!
• Iron
1s22s22p63s23p64s23d6
• Nickel
1s22s22p63s23p64s23d8
• Bromine
1s22s22p63s23p64s23d104p5
 Using the “Core” to shorten
things up:
• Instead of writing the entire electron
configuration, you can use the “core” of
the last noble gas.
• Example: Phosphorous
Regular - 1s22s22p63s23p3
Core - [Ne] 3s23p3
 You try!
Chlorine [Ne] 3s23p5

Barium
[Xe] 6s2
Iodine
[Kr] 5s24d105p5
 What is the most common college mascot in the
NCAA?
Bulldogs – shared by 13 teams
2nd – Tigers
3rd – Bears
4th- Wildcats