Special Stability is associated with certain

electron configuration in an atom. Remember

that the general tendency for electrons is to
assume a state of lowest energy. It has been
observed that:
 An atom with completely filled level is quite stable.
Ex: 2He- 1s2 and 10Ne- 1s2 2s2 2p 2p6
Helium has only one principal energy level which consists of one
sublevel made up of only orbital that is filled to the maximum
(two electrons); the same in true for neon which has the s and p
sublevels and orbitals in its two principal level (1 and 2) also
filled to the maximum that an orbital can hold.
 An atom with eight electrons in the outermost level has
special stability this accounts for the octet rule for stability
based on observation of group 8 (group 16 elements): Ne, Ar,
Kr, X and Rn being unreactive.
 An atom having fully filled or half filled sublevel is also more
stable than the other arrangement.
Ex: Chromium 24Cr, should have an electron configuration
of 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d2 if the diagonal rule is followed, but the
ground state configuration at which it is most stable is
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1 3d5 when its two half filled sublevels (4s1 and
3d5) instead of one filled sublevel and one with no characteristic
arrangement (4s2 3d4).
 Elements made up of atoms with unpaired electrons are
paramagnetism; that is, they are attracted to magnetic fields.
Ex:
number of unpaired electrons
8O 1s2 2s2 2p4 2

11Na 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s1 1

29Cu 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d9 1

 1.) Atomic size. Since an atom is considered as having a
spherical shape. Its size is measured in terms of the radius,
which is the distance from the nucleus to its outermost
principal energy level or valence level. This radius is measured
using x-ray and electron diffraction methods. How this radius is
measured depends in the state of the atom: if the atom does
not bond, as in tha case of helium, one half of the distance
between the nuclei of two adjacent atoms when they are closest
together is measured as its radius. This distance is known as
the Van Der Waals radius.
 Radii is measured in angstroms ( 1A=10-10m). Recently chemist have
been using the picometer (pm, pm=10-12m) as the unit to express
atomic radii.
example: Frandum(2.7 A), which has seven main energy levels is
a bigger atom than cesium (2.65 A) and, Cs which has six main
energy levels is bigger than rubidium (2.48 A)
trend: in a given period of the periodic table, atomic size
decreases from left to right with increase in atomic number.
reason: an increase in atomic number means an additional proton.
This cause a stronger effectice nuclear charge, pulling the electrons
toward the nucleus, resulting in a shorter radius from the nucleus to
the outermost energy level which remains the same.

On the otherhand, elements consisting of atoms without unpaired

electrons like Helium, He (1s2) and magnesium, 12Mg (1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 ) are
diamagnetic. They are weakly rep.elled or are not affected by magnetixc
fields.
 A more general way of distinguishing is by classifying them
as metals, nonmetals, and metalloids .
The typical properties that characterized metals are:
 luster- the mirror-like shine that reflect light well
 Conductivity- the ability to transfer heat and electricity well
 Malleability- the ability to be rolled or hammered into thin sheets
 Ductility- the ability to be drawn into wire

In contrast, solid nonmetals tend to be brittle, lack luster, and have

poor conductivities. The metalloids have both metalic and nonmetallic
properties.
2.) Ionization energy. The energy needed to remove an atom’s
most loosely hield electron is called the first ionization energy.
It measured in kilojoules per mole.

3.) Electron Affinity. Electron affinity is a measure of the energy

change that occurs when an atom gains a single electron and
forms a nagative ion. The more energy released by the atom,
the stable it becomes when it gains an electron. When energy is
released, the electron affinity is reported as a negative number;
when energy is absorbed, it is reported as a positive number.

4.) Electronegativity. Electronegativity is a measure an atom’s

ability to attract a pair for electrons when bonded to another
atom. The higher the electronegativity, the more the atom
attracts the shared pair of electrons.