Electron Configurations

• the arrangement of electrons in an

atom
• each type of atom has a unique
electron configuration
• electrons tend to assume positions that
create the lowest possible energy for
atom
• ground state electron configuration-
lowest energy arrangement of
electrons
 Rules for Arrangements
• Aufbau Principle- an
electron occupies the
lowest-energy orbital
that can receive it

• Beginning in the 3rd

energy level, the
energies of the
sublevels in different
energy levels begin to
overlap
 Rules for Arrangements
• Pauli Exclusion Principle- no two
electrons in the same atom can have
the same set of 4 quantum numbers
• Hund’s Rule- orbitals of equal energy
are each occupied by one electron
before any orbital is occupied by a
second
• all unpaired electrons must have the
same spin
Rules for Arrangements
Writing Configurations

• Orbital Notation:
– an orbital is written as a line
– each orbital has a name written below it
– electrons are drawn as arrows (up and
down)
• Electron Configuration Notation
– number of electrons in sublevel is added
as a superscript
http://www.cowtownproductions.com/vining/Sims/atomic_electro
Order for Filling Sublevels
 Writing Configurations
• Start by finding the number of electrons in
the atom
• Identify the sublevel that the last electron
added is in by looking at the location in
periodic table
• Draw out lines for each orbital beginning
with 1s and ending with the sublevel
identified
• Add arrows individually to the orbitals until
all electrons have been drawn
 Silicon
• number of electrons: 14
• last electron is in sublevel: 3p

1s 2s 2p 3s
3p

Valence Electrons- the electrons in the

outermost energy level
 Chlorine
• number of electrons: 17
• last electron is in sublevel: 3p

1s 2s 2p 3s 3p
 Sodium
• number of electrons: 11
• last electron is in sublevel: 3s

1s 2s 2p 3s

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1

 Calcium
• number of electrons: 20
• last electron is in sublevel: 4s

1s 2s 2p 3s

3p 4s

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2

 Bromine
• number of electrons: 35
• last electron is in sublevel: 4p

1s 2s 2p 3s 3p

4s 3d 4p

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p5

 Argon
• number of electrons: 18
• last electron is in sublevel: 3p

1s 2s 2p 3s 3p

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6

 Noble Gas Notation
• short hand for larger atoms
• configuration for the last noble gas is
abbreviated by the noble gas’s symbol in
brackets
Electron Configuration Exceptions

Copper
EXPECT: [Ar] 4s2 3d9
ACTUALLY: [Ar] 4s1 3d10

Copper gains stability with a full

d-sublevel.
Electron Configuration Exceptions

Chromium
EXPECT: [Ar] 4s2 3d4
ACTUALLY: [Ar] 4s1 3d5

Chromium gains stability with a half-

full d-sublevel.
 Stability
Full sublevel (s, p, d, f)
Half-full sublevel

1
2
3
4
5
6
7