INTRODUCTION OF

ELECTRON
CONFIGURATION
Atomic Orbitals and Electron Configurations

Quantum Mechanics

http://www.meta-synthesis.com/webbook/30_timeline/310px-Bohr-atom-PAR.svg.png

Better than any previous model,

quantum mechanics does
explain how the atom behaves.
Quantum mechanics treats
electrons not as particles, but
more as waves (like light waves)
which can gain or lose energy.
But they cant gain or lose just
any amount of energy. They
gain or lose a quantum of
A quantumenergy.
is just an amount of energy that the

electron needs to gain (or lose) to move to the next

energy level.

Atomic Orbitals
http://milesmathis.com/bohr2.jpg

Much like the Bohr model, the

energy levels in quantum
mechanics describe locations
where you are likely to find an
electron.
An old
Bohr??
Mwwhaha!

Remember that orbitals are

geometric shapes around the
nucleus where electrons are found.
Quantum mechanics calculates the
probabilities where you are likely
to find electrons.

Bohrs Model
Nucleus
Electron
.

Orbit

Energy Levels

Atomic Orbitals

http://courses.chem.psu.edu/chem210/quantum/quantum.html

Of course, you could find an electron

anywhere if you looked hard enough.
So scientists agreed to limit these calculations
to locations where there was at least a 90%
chance of finding an electron.
Think of orbitals as sort ofa "border
for spaces around the nucleus inside
which electrons are allowed. No more
than 2 electrons can ever be in 1 orbital.
The orbital just defines an area where
you can find an electron.
What is the chance of finding an electron
in the nucleus? Yes, of course, its zero.
There arent any electrons in the
nucleus.

Energy Levels
http://www.chem4kids.com/files/art/elem_pertable2.gif

Quantum mechanics has a

principal quantum number. It
is represented by a little n. It
represents the energy level
similar to Bohrs model.

Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Indigo
Violet

n=1
n=2
n=3
n=4
n=5
n=6
n=7

n=1 describes the first energy

level
n=2 describes the second
energy level
Etc.

Each energy level represents a

period or row on the periodic
table. Its amazing how all this
stuff just fits together.

Sub-levels = Specific
Atomic Orbitals
Each energy level has 1 or more
sub-levels which describe the
specific atomic orbitals for that
level.

n = 1 has 1 sub-level (the s

orbital)
n = 2 has 2 sub-levels (s and p)
n = 3 has 3 sub-levels (s, p and
d)
n = 4 has 4 sub-levels (s, p, d
and f)

There are 4 types of atomic orbitals:

s, p, d and f
Each of these sub-levels represent the
blocks on the periodic table.

S orbitals
1 s orbital for
every energy level

Spherical shaped
Each s orbital can hold
2 electrons
Called the 1s, 2s, 3s,
etc.. orbitals

1s2s

3s

P orbitals
Start at the second energy level
3 different directions
3 different shapes
Each orbital can hold 2 electrons

The p Sublevel has 3 p

orbitals

The D sublevel contains

5 D orbitals
The D sublevel starts in the
3rd energy level
5 different shapes
(orbitals)
Each orbital can hold 2
electrons

The F sublevel has 7 F

orbitals
The F sublevel
starts in the
fourth energy
level
The F sublevel
has seven
different shapes
(orbitals)
2 electrons per
orbital

Orbitals

http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/54/3254-004-AEC1FB42.gif
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/D_orbitals.svg/744pxD_orbitals.svg.png

In the s block, electrons are going into s orbitals.

In the p block, the s orbitals are full. New electrons are going into the p orbitals.
In the d block, the s and p orbitals are full. New electrons are going into the d
orbitals.
What about the f block?

Summary
Startsat
energylevel

SUMMARY
Energy
Level

Sublevels

Total Orbitals

Total
Electrons

Total
Electrons per
Level

n=1

1 (1s orbital)

n=2

s
p

1 (2s orbital)
3 (2p orbitals)

2
6

n=3

s
1 (3s orbital)
2
18
Completethechartinyournotesaswediscussthis.
p
3 (3p orbitals)
6
d
5 (3d orbitals)
10

Thefirstlevel(n=1)hasansorbital.Ithasonly1.
n = 4 Therearenootherorbitalsinthefirstenergylevel.
s
1 (4s orbital)
2
32
p
3 (4p orbitals)
6
Wecallthisorbitalthe1sorbital.
d
5 (4d orbitals)
10
f
7 (4f orbitals)
14

Where are these

Orbitals?
http://www.biosulf.org/1/images/periodictable.png

1s
2s

2p

3s
4s
5s

3p

6s
7s

4f
5f

3d

4p

4d
5d
6d

5p
6p
7p

Electron Configurations
What do I mean by electron
configuration?
The electron configuration is the
specific way in which the atomic
orbitals are filled.
Think of it as being similar to your
address. The electron configuration
tells me where all the electrons
live.

Rules for Electon

Configurations
https://teach.lanecc.edu/gaudias/scheme.gif

In order to write an electron

configuration, we need to know
the RULES.
3 rules govern electron
configurations.
Aufbau Principle
Pauli Exclusion Principle
Hunds Rule

Using the orbital filling diagram

at the right will help you figure
out HOW to write them
Start with the 1s orbital. Fill each
orbital completely and then go to
the next one, until all of the
elements have been acounted for.

Fill Lower Energy

Orbitals FIRST

Eachlinerepresentsan
orbital.
1(s),3(p),5(d),7(f)

High
Energy

http://www.meta-synthesis.com/webbook/34_qn/qn3.jpg

The Aufbau Principle

states that electrons
enter the lowest energy
orbitals first.
The lower the principal
quantum number (n) the
lower the energy.

Low

Within an energy level, s

orbitals are the lowest
energy, followed by p, d and
then f. F orbitals are the
highest energy for that
level.

No more than 2
Electrons in Any
Orbitalever.
http://www.fnal.gov/pub/inquiring/timeline/images/pauli.jpg

The next rule is the Pauli Exclusion Principal.

The Pauli Exclusion Principle states
that an atomic orbital may have up to 2
electrons and then it is full.
The spins have to be paired.
We usually represent this with an up arrow
and a down arrow.

Wolfgang Pauli, yet

another German
Nobel Prize winner

Since there is only 1 s orbital per energy

level, only 2 electrons fill that orbital.

Quantum numbers describe an electrons position, and no

2 electrons can have the exact same quantum numbers.
Because of that, electrons must have opposite spins from
each other in order to share the same orbital.

Hunds Rule

http://intro.chem.okstate.edu/AP/2004Norman/Chapter7/Lec111000.html

Hunds Rule states that when

you get to degenerate
orbitals, you fill them all half
way first, and then you start
pairing up the electrons.
What are degenerate orbitals?
Degenerate means they have
the same energy.
So, the 3 p orbitals on each level
are degenerate, because they
all have the same energy.
Dont pair up the 2p
electrons until all 3
orbitals are half full.

Similarly, the d and f orbitals are

degenerate too.

 NOW that we know the rules, we can try to

write some electron configurations.

Remember to use your orbital filling guide to

determine WHICH orbital comes next.

Lets write some electron configurations for

the first few elements, and lets start with
hydrogen.

Electron Configurations
Element

Configuration

Elemen
t

Configuration

H Z=1

1s1

He Z=2

1s2

Li Z=3

1s22s1

Be Z=4 1s22s2

Z=5

1s22s22p1

Z=6

1s22s22p2

N Z=7

1s22s22p3

Z=8

1s22s22p4

1s22s22p5

Ne
Z=10

1s22s22p6
(2p is now full)

Na Z=11

1s22s22p63s1

Cl
Z=17

1s22s22p63s23p5

1s22s22p63s23p64s1

Sc
Z=21

1s22s22p63s23p64s23d1

Z=9

Z=19

6
6
6
2
Fe that
Z=26
1s2numbers
2s22p63s2in
3pthe
4s2electron
3d Br configuration
1s22s22p
3s2up
3pto
4sthe
3d10
Note
all the
add
4p5 2+2+6 = 10
atomic number6 for that element. Ex: Z=35
for Ne (Z=10),

 One last thing. Look at the previous slide and look at

just hydrogen, lithium, sodium and potassium.
Notice their electron configurations. Do you see any
similarities?

Since H and Li and Na and K are all in Group 1A, they

all have a similar ending. (s1)

Electron Configurations
Element

Configuration

H Z=1

1s1

Li Z=3

1s22s1

Na Z=11

1s22s22p63s1

1s22s22p63s23p64s1

Z=19

This similar configuration causes them to behave

the same chemically.
Its for that reason they are in the same family or
group on the periodic table.
Each group will have the same ending
configuration, in this case something that ends in
s1.

The End