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CONFIGURATIONS
ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS
CONTENTS
The Bohr Atom
Levels and sub-levels
Rules and principles
Orbitals
Rules for filling orbitals.
The Aufbau principle
Electronic configurations of elements 1 to 36
Electronic configurations of ions
ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS
Before you start it would be helpful to
Know that electrons can be found outside the nucleus in energy levels ( shells)
Know the electronic configurations of the first 20 elements in 2,8,1 notation
THE BOHR ATOM
4
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
1
LEVELS AND SUB-LEVELS
PRINCIPAL SUB LEVELS
ENERGY
LEVELS
4
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
CONTENTS
RULES AND PRINCIPLES
s orbitals
spherical
one occurs in every principal energy level
SHAPES OF ORBITALS
p orbitals
dumb-bell shaped
three occur in energy levels except the first
SHAPES OF ORBITALS
d orbitals
various shapes
five occur in energy levels except the first and second
ORDER OF FILLING ORBITALS
PRINCIPAL SUB LEVELS
ENERGY
LEVELS 4f
3d
3 3p
3s
2p
2
2s
1 1s
Orbitals are not filled in numerical order because the principal energy levels get
closer together as you get further from the nucleus. This results in overlap of sub
levels. The first example occurs when the 4s orbital is filled before the 3d orbitals.
ORDER OF FILLING ORBITALS
PRINCIPAL SUB LEVELS PRINCIPAL SUB LEVELS
ENERGY ENERGY
LEVELS 4f LEVELS 4f
1 1s 1 1s
Orbitals are not filled in numerical order because the principal energy levels get
closer together as you get further from the nucleus. This results in overlap of sub
levels. The first example occurs when the 4s orbital is filled before the 3d orbitals.
ORDER OF FILLING ORBITALS
PRINCIPAL SUB LEVELS PRINCIPAL SUB LEVELS
ENERGY ENERGY
LEVELS 4f LEVELS 4f
1 1s 1 1s
Orbitals are not filled in numerical order because the principal energy levels get
closer together as you get further from the nucleus. This results in overlap of sub
levels. The first example occurs when the 4s orbital is filled before the 3d orbitals.
THE AUFBAU PRINCIPAL
4f This states that
4d ELECTRONS ENTER THE
4 LOWEST AVAILABLE
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p ENERGY LEVEL
4f
HYDROGEN
4d
4 1s1
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
Hydrogen atoms have one
3d electron. This goes into a
4s vacant orbital in the lowest
available energy level.
3 3p
3s
Aufbau
Principle
2p
2
2s
1 1s
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
HELIUM
4d
4 1s2
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
Every orbital can contain 2
3d electrons, provided the
4s electrons are spinning in
opposite directions. This is
3 3p based on...
3s PAULIS EXCLUSION
PRINCIPLE
The two electrons in a
2p helium atom can both go in
2 the 1s orbital.
2s
1 1s Aufbau
Principle
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
LITHIUM
4d
4 1s2 2s1
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
1s orbitals can hold a
3d maximum of two electrons
4s so the third electron in a
lithium atom must go into
3 3p the next available orbital of
higher energy. This will be
3s
further from the nucleus in
the second principal
energy level.
2p
2 The second principal level
2s has two types of orbital (s
and p). An s orbital is
lower in energy than a p.
1 1s Aufbau
Principle
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
BERYLLIUM
4d
4 1s2 2s2
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
Beryllium atoms have four
3d electrons so the fourth
4s electron pairs up in the 2s
orbital. The 2s sub level is
3 3p now full.
3s
2p Aufbau
2
Principle
2s
1 1s
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
BORON
4d
4 1s2 2s2 2p1
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
As the 2s sub level is now
3d full, the fifth electron goes
4s into one of the three p
orbitals in the 2p sub level.
3 3p The 2p orbitals are slightly
higher in energy than the
3s
2s orbital.
2p Aufbau
2
Principle
2s
1 1s
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
CARBON
4d
4 1s2 2s2 2p2
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
The next electron in
3d doesnt pair up with the
4s one already there. This
would give rise to
3 3p repulsion between the
similarly charged species.
3s
Instead, it goes into
another p orbital which
means less repulsion,
2p lower energy and more
2 stability.
2s
HUNDS RULE
OF
1 1s
MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
NITROGEN
4d
4 1s2 2s2 2p3
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
Following Hunds Rule,
3d the next electron will not
4s pair up so goes into a
vacant p orbital. All three
3 3p electrons are now
unpaired. This gives less
3s
repulsion, lower energy
and therefore more
stability.
2p
2
2s
HUNDS RULE
OF
1 1s
MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
OXYGEN
4d
4 1s2 2s2 2p4
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
With all three orbitals half-
3d filled, the eighth electron in
4s an oxygen atom must now
pair up with one of the
3 3p electrons already there.
3s
Aufbau
Principle
2p
2
2s
1 1s
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
FLUORINE
4d
4 1s2 2s2 2p5
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
The electrons continue to
3d pair up with those in the
4s half-filled orbitals.
3 3p
3s
2p
2
2s
1 1s
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
NEON
4d
4 1s2 2s2 2p6
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
The electrons continue to
3d pair up with those in the
4s half-filled orbitals. The 2p
orbitals are now
3 3p completely filled and so is
the second principal
3s
energy level.
In the older system of
2p describing electronic
2 configurations, this would
2s have been written as 2,8.
1 1s
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
SODIUM - ARGON
4d
4
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
1 1s
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
SODIUM - ARGON
4d
4
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4f
POTASSIUM
4d
4 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
In numerical terms one
3d would expect the 3d
4s orbitals to be filled next.
1 1s Aufbau
Principle
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
CALCIUM
4d
4 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
As expected, the next
3d electron pairs up to
4s complete a filled 4s orbital.
1 1s Aufbau
Principle
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
SCANDIUM
4d
4 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d1
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
With the lower energy 4s
3d orbital filled, the next
4s electrons can now fill the
3d orbitals. There are five d
3 3p orbitals. They are filled
according to Hunds Rule -
3s
BUT WATCH OUT FOR
TWO SPECIAL CASES.
2p
2
2s HUNDS RULE
OF
MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY
1 1s
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
TITANIUM
4d
4 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d2
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
The 3d orbitals are filled
3d according to Hunds rule
4s so the next electron
doesnt pair up but goes
3 3p into an empty orbital in the
same sub level.
3s
HUNDS RULE
OF
2p MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY
2
2s
1 1s
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
VANADIUM
4d
4 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d3
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
The 3d orbitals are filled
3d according to Hunds rule
4s so the next electron
doesnt pair up but goes
3 3p into an empty orbital in the
same sub level.
3s
HUNDS RULE
OF
2p MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY
2
2s
1 1s
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
CHROMIUM
4d
4 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 3d5
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
One would expect the
3d configuration of chromium
4s atoms to end in 4s2 3d4.
HUNDS RULE
OF
1 1s
MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
MANGANESE
4d
4 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d5
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
The new electron goes into
3d the 4s to restore its filled
4s state.
3 3p
3s
HUNDS RULE
OF
2p MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY
2
2s
1 1s
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
IRON
4d
4 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d6
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
Orbitals are filled
3d according to Hunds Rule.
4s They continue to pair up.
3 3p
3s
HUNDS RULE
OF
2p MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY
2
2s
1 1s
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
COBALT
4d
4 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d7
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
Orbitals are filled
3d according to Hunds Rule.
4s They continue to pair up.
3 3p
3s
HUNDS RULE
OF
2p MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY
2
2s
1 1s
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
NICKEL
4d
4 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d8
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
Orbitals are filled
3d according to Hunds Rule.
4s They continue to pair up.
3 3p
3s
HUNDS RULE
OF
2p MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY
2
2s
1 1s
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
COPPER
4d
4 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 3d10
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
One would expect the
3d configuration of chromium
4s atoms to end in 4s2 3d9.
1 1s
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
ZINC
4d
4 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
4p
The electron goes into the
3d 4s to restore its filled state
4s and complete the 3d and
4s orbital filling.
3 3p
3s
2p
2
2s
1 1s
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
GALLIUM - KRYPTON
4d
4
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS
3s
HUNDS RULE
OF
2p MAXIMUM MULTIPLICITY
2
2s
1 1s
THE ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS OF THE FIRST 36 ELEMENTS
4f
GALLIUM - KRYPTON
4d
4 Prefix with
INCREASING ENERGY / DISTANCE FROM NUCLEUS