ELECTRON
CONFIGURATION
Electron Configuration
• The way electrons are arranged
around the nucleus.
Arrangement of Electrons
in Atoms
• Electrons in atoms are arranged as
SHELLS (n)
SUBSHELLS (l)
ORBITALS (ml)
Quantum Number
• Number that specifies the properties of the
electrons.
• There are 4 quantum numbers: n, , m and ms
n ---> shell 1, 2, 3, 4, ...
l ---> subshell 0, 1, 2, ... n - 1
ml ---> orbital -l ... 0 ... +l
ms ---> electron spin +1/2 and -1/2
Principal Quantum Number, n
• Indicates main energy levels
n = 1, 2, 3, 4…
The principle quantum
number, n, determines
the number of sublevels
within the principle energy
level.
Orbital Quantum Number, ℓ
• Angular Momentum Quantum Number
• Indicates shape of orbital sublevels
• ℓ = 0, 1, 2, …, n-1
ℓ sublevel
0 s
1 p
2 d
3 f
4 g
Magnetic quantum number, ml
• Indicates orbital
• m =–,… ,0,…,+
• Number of orbitals in an energy level = n2.
Orbital
• The space where there is
a high probability that it is
occupied by a pair of
electrons.
• Orbitals are solutions of
Schrodinger’s equations.
• Each orbital can have only
2 electrons
Types and shapes of orbitals
Total Number of Orbital and
Electrons per Energy Level
Sublevel # Orbitals # electrons
s 1 2
p 3 6
d 5 10
f 7 14
g 9 18
Number of orbitals in an energy The total number of electrons that can
level = n2. be held by a given energy level = 2n2.
Example:
• 4rd energy level (n=4) has a total • 4th energy level (n=4) can hold 32
of 16 orbitals. electrons.
• 4th energy level has 4 sub shells. • 4th energy level has 4 sub shells.
• An s sub shell: 1 orbital, • s sub shell: 2 electrons,
• A p sub shell: 3 orbitals • p sub shell: 6 electrons,
• A d sub shell: 5 orbitals. • d sub shell: 10 electrons, and
• A f sub shell: 7 orbitals. • f sub shell: 14 electrons.
• Total of 1 + 3 + 5 +7= 16 orbitals. • Total is 2 + 6 + 10 + 14 = 32 electrons.
Electron Spin Quantum
Number, ms
• Indicates electron spin
• Only have two
possible numbers
– +1/2 and -1/2
The total number of electrons that can be held
by a given energy level = 2n2.
Rules to build the electron
configuration
– Aufbau principle
– Pauli Exclusion Principle
– Hund’s Rule
Aufbau Principle
• Electrons occupy
orbitals of lower
energy first.
• Aufbau Diagram
Pauli Exclusion Principle
• No two electrons in the same atom can
have the same set of 4 quantum numbers.
– That is, each electron in an atom has a unique
address of quantum numbers.
• An orbital can hold only two electrons and
they must have opposite spin.
Hund’s Rule
• For atoms in ground state, the number of
unpaired electrons is the maximum
possible and have the same spin
(maximum number of parallel spins)
N atom [He]
Notations of Electron
Configurations
• There are 3 notations:
– Long notation or electron configuration
(Standard notation)
1s22s22p6
– Orbital Notation
1s 2s
– Shorthand Notation or Noble Gas configuration.
[Ne]3s23p4
Configuration of Ions
• Ions always have noble gas
configurations ( = a full outer level)
• Na atom is: 1s22s22p63s1
• Forms a 1+ sodium ion: 1s22s22p6
• Same configuration as neon.
• Metals form ions with the configuration
of the noble gas before them - they lose
electrons.
Configuration of Ions
• Non-metals form ions by gaining electrons
to achieve noble gas configuration.
• Cl atom is: 1s22s22p63s23p5
• Forms a 1- chloride ion: 1s22s22p63s23p6
• Same configuration as Argon.
• They end up with the configuration of the
noble gas after them.
Electron Configurations
Of Ions
Electrons do not come out the same way as
we put them in according to the Aufbau
Principle. Electrons leave the outer most shell
first.
V 1s 22s22p63s23p64s23d3
23
V 2+ 1s22s22p63s23p63d3
23
Categories of electrons
• Core (inner) electrons – all those shared by the
previous noble gas
• Outer electrons – those in the highest occupied
energy level
– Similar chemical properties of elements in groups is a result
of similar outer electron configurations
– In the main group, the group number equals the number of
outer electrons
• Valence electrons – those involved in bonding
– In the main group, the outer electrons are valence
– In the transition metals can include some d electrons
FIRST IONISATION ENERGY
The first ionisation energy, IE1 of an element is the energy needed to remove
one moles of electrons from each atom in one mole of atoms of the element in
the gaseous state to form one mole of gaseous 1+ ions.
e.g. Na(g) → Na+(g) + e-
Al(g) → Al+(g) + e-
If a second electron is removed from each ion in a mole of gaseous 1+ ions, we
call it the second ionization energy, IE2.
Removal of a third electron from each ion in a mole of gaseous 2+ ions is called the third
ionisation energy, IE3.
We can continue to remove electrons from an atom until only the nucleus is left. We call
this sequence of ionisation energies successive ionisation energies.
Factors that influence ionisation energy
• The size of the nuclear charge: as the atomic number (number of protons) increases,
the positive nuclear charge in the nucleus increases. The bigger the positive charge,
the greater the attractive force between the nucleus and the electrons. So, more
energy is needed to overcome these attractive forces if an electron is to be removed.
In general, ionisation energy increases as the proton number increases.
• Distance of outer electrons from the nucleus: the force of attraction between
positive and negative charges decreases rapidly as the distance between them
increases. So, electrons in shells further away from the nucleus are less attracted to
the nucleus than those closer to the nucleus. In general, the further the outer
electron shell is from the nucleus, the lower the ionisation energy.
• Shielding effect of inner electrons: as all electrons are negatively charged, they repel
each other. Electrons in full inner shells repel electrons in outer shells. Full inner
shells of electrons prevent the outer electrons feeling the full nuclear charge. This is
called shielding. The greater the shielding of outer electrons by the inner electron
shells, the lower the attractive forces between the nucleus and the outer electrons.
In general, the ionisation energy is lower as the number of full electron shells
between the outer electrons and the nucleus increases.
• Spin-pair repulsion: electrons in the same atomic orbital in a sub-shell repel each
other more than electrons in different atomic orbitals. This increased repulsion
makes it easier to remove an electron. So first ionisation energy is decreased.
FIRST IONISATION ENERGY
1500
1000
500 3s 3p
3s 3p
Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar
• More nuclear charge -> more attraction force -> more IE
• More inner electrons (inner subshell) -> more shielding effect -> less IE
There is a general increase in IE1 across a period.
• the nuclear charge increases
• the distance between the nucleus and the outer electron remains reasonably constant
• the shielding by inner shells remains reasonably constant.
There is a rapid decrease in ionisation energy between the last element in one period and the
first element in the next period.
• the distance between the nucleus and the outer electron increases
• the shielding by inner shells increases
• these two factors outweigh the increased nuclear charge
FIRST IONISATION ENERGY
1500
1000
500 3s 3p
3s 3p
Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar
• More nuclear charge -> more attraction force -> more IE
• More inner electrons (inner subshell) -> more shielding effect -> less IE
There is a slight decrease in IE1 between Magnesium and Aluminum.
• the distance between the nucleus and the outer electron increases slightly
• the shielding by inner shells increases slightly
• these two factors outweigh the increased nuclear charge
There is a slight decrease in IE1 between Phosphorus and Sulfur.
• The extra repulsion between the pair of electrons in this orbital results in less
energy being needed to remove an electron.
FIRST IONISATION ENERGY
1500
1000
500 3s 3p
3s 3p
Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar
• More nuclear charge -> more attraction force -> more IE
• More inner electrons (inner subshell) -> more shielding effect -> less IE
The first ionisation energy decreases as you go down a group.
• the distance between the nucleus and the outer electron increases
• the shielding by complete inner shells increases
• these two factors outweigh the increased nuclear charge.
TREND IN SUCCESSIVE IONISATION ENERGY
• The first electron removed has a low first ionisation energy
• The second electron is much more difficult to remove than the first electron.
• There is a big jump in the value of the ionisation energy. This suggests that the
electron in the outer shell is in a shell closer to the nucleus than the electron in the
inner shell.
TREND IN FIRST IONISATION ENERGY
Noble gas
Which group of elements should A belong to?
TREND IN FIRST IONISATION ENERGY
TREND IN IONISATION ENERGY
