Chemistry

I: Orbital Notation

Block: A-1 B-2 A-3 B-4 A-5 B-6 A-7 B-8

Name: _______________________________________________

Orbital Notation:

A notation format that use arrows to indicate the distribution and spin of electrons in an
atoms orbitals.

Since electrons have the same charge, they repel each other. In order to occupy the same orbital, electrons in
the same orbital must have opposite spins ( or ).

The first electron in an orbital is represented by an up arrow ( ) and the second electron in an orbital is
represented by a down arrow ( ).

For subshells with more than one orbital, the ground state (most stable configuration) of the atom must have
each orbital half-full ( ) before and orbital is filled ( ).

Example 1: Identify the (complete) orbital notation for sulfur.

Solution: Sulfurs electron configuration is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4 so we use boxes and arrows
to represent the electrons in each orbital.

_ _

Example 2: Identify the short-from orbital notation for sulfur.

Solution: A short (abbreviated) form for an elements electron configuration uses the chemical
symbol of the Noble Gas that represents the core electrons plus the normal notation for the
electrons in the atoms valence shell. For sulfur, the core electrons correspond to the electron
configuration for neon, Ne, (1s2 2s2 2p6). So one can represent sulfurs short-form electron
configuration as: [Ne] 3s2 3p4.

[Ne] _ _

Example 3: Identify the element whose orbital notation is:

_ _

1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p4

Strategy 1: The last set of orbitals corresponds to 4p4 which indicates that the element should
be Se (selenium).

Strategy 2: The sum of the arrows is 34, so we locate element number 34 (Se).

Example 4: Identify the element whose short-form orbital notation is: [Kr] .

Strategy 1: The 4d10 indicates that the element is the last element in the d-Block of the fifth
Period: Cd (cadmium).

Strategy 2: The atomic number for Kr is 36, so 36 + 2 + 10 gives us the atomic number (48)
of the element Cd (cadmium).

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Chemistry I: Orbital Notation

Block: A-1 B-2 A-3 B-4 A-5 B-6 A-7 B-8
(05) 1.

(07) 2.

Name: _______________________________________________

Write the complete orbital notation for a neutral atom of the following elements:

(a)
O


(b) Si


(c)
K


(d) Cr


(e)
As


Indicate the abbreviated (short-form) orbital notation for a neutral atom of the
following elements:

(a)
F

(b) Si

(c)
Ca

(d) Cu

(e)
Sb

(f)
Pm

(g)
Bk

(h) Ds

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Chemistry I: Orbital Notation

Block: A-1 B-2 A-3 B-4 A-5 B-6 A-7 B-8
(05) 3.

Name: _______________________________________________

Identify the element whose neutral atom has an orbital notation of:

(a)
_ _

(b)


(c)


(d)

_ _ _

(e)

(05) 4.

Identify the element whose neutral atom has an short-form orbital notation of:

(a)
[He] _ _ _


(b) [Ar] _


(c)
[Kr]


(d) [Xe] _


(e)
[Rn] _ _

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