Electron Energy Level Notes

Electron Energy Level Notes

Electrons do not travel around the nucleus
of an atom in orbits
They are found in energy levels at
different distances away from the nucleus.
(kind of like shells or layers).

The Quantum Mechanical Model of the Atom (cont.)

The wave function predicts a three-dimensional region around the
nucleus called the atomic orbital.

Hydrogen Atomic Orbitals

Electrons cannot exist between energy levels (just like the rungs of a ladder).

Principal quantum number (n) indicates the relative size and energy of
atomic orbitals.

n specifies the atoms major energy levels, called the principal energy
levels.

Electron Energy Level Notes

Energy levels are broken up into
sublevels:
There are at least 4 possible types of
sublevelsgiven labels: s, p, d, or f

Hydrogen Atomic Orbitals (cont.)

Energy sublevels are contained within the principal energy levels.

Electron Energy Level Notes

Only a certain number of electrons may exist in an
energy level, but the number varies. It can be
determined by:
# of electrons in level = 2 x (# of energy level)2

Therefore:
energy level 1 = 2 (1)2 = 2
energy level 2 = 2 (2)2 = 8
energy level 3 = 18
energy level 4 = 32
etc...

Electron Energy Level Notes

In each energy level, electrons fill sublevels in a
certain order
Level 1:
only has one s sublevel (a spherical shape)
2 electrons may fit in this sublevel--each one
has an opposite spin, allowing them to take up
the same space
Pauli exclusion principleno more than 2
electrons may be found in the same orbital
(orbital means a particular location)

s-Orbital Image

Electron Energy Level Notes

Level 2:
has two sublevels: s and p
2 electrons in s
there are 3 different p orbitals, and may hold 2
electrons each6 total. (look at shape on p. 154-imagine how they can fit together)

total of 8 overall in Level 2

p-Orbital Image

Electron Energy Level Notes

Level 3:
has 3 sublevels: s, p, and d
2 electrons in s
6 electrons in p
there are 5 different d orbitals, and 2 electrons
can fit in eachtotal of 10. (look at picture of d
orbitals, imagine how they can fit together)

total of 18

d-orbital notes

Hydrogen Atomic Orbitals (cont.)

Each energy sublevel relates to orbitals of different shape.

Image of orbitals

Electron Energy Level Notes

Level 4:
has 4 sublevels: s, p, d , and f
2 electrons in s
6 electrons in p
10 electrons in d
14 electrons in f (7 different orbitals for f)
total of 32

Hydrogen Atomic Orbitals (cont.)

Electron Energy Level Notes

The order that electrons fill up orbitals
does not follow the logical order of all 1s,
then all 2s, then all 3s, etc.
They follow the order found on pg. 156.

Order of Orbitals

Electron Energy Level Notes

An easy way to remember this is to use
the periodic table--it is arranged to show
how these orbitals are filled.

Order of OrbitalsPeriodic Table

Ground-State Electron Configuration

The arrangement of electrons in the atom is called the electron
configuration.
The aufbau principle states that each electron occupies the lowest energy
orbital available.

Ground-State Electron Configuration (cont.)

The Pauli exclusion principle states that a maximum of two electrons

can occupy a single orbital, but only if the electrons have opposite
spins.

Hunds rule states that single electrons with the

same spin must occupy each equal-energy
orbital before additional electrons with
opposite spins can occupy the same energy
level orbitals.

Electron Energy Level Notes

Hunds rule is used for filling orbitals with
electrons. It states that only one electron
will be put in each orbital of a sublevel
until all of them are filled, and after that,
they may be paired up until the sublevel is
full.

Section 5-3

Ground-State Electron Configuration (cont.)

Section 5-3

Ground-State Electron Configuration (cont.)

Noble gas notation uses noble gas symbols in brackets to shorten inner
electron configurations of other elements.

Section 5-3

Ground-State Electron Configuration (cont.)

The electron configurations (for chromium, copper, and several other

elements) reflect the increased stability of half-filled and filled sets
of s and d orbitals.

Valence Electrons

Section 5-3

Valence electrons are defined as electrons in the atoms outermost

orbitalsthose associated with the atoms highest principal energy
level.

Electron-dot structure consists of the elements symbol representing the

nucleus, surrounded by dots representing the elements valence
electrons.

Valence Electrons (cont.)

Section 5-3