Green Land Ecole Internationale

International School du Pré Vert

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Chapter two

Atomic structure
2.2 Electron Configuration

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Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle ; states that it’s impossible to determine accurately both the
momentum and the position of a particle simultaneously.

This means that the more we know about the position of an electron, the less we know about its
momentum, and vice versa.

Although it is not possible to state precisely the location of an electron in an atom and it’s exact
momentum at the same time , we can calculate the Probability of finding an electron in a given region
of space within atom

Atomic orbital : is a region in space where there is a high probability of finding an electron.

Any orbital can hold a maximum two electrons . There are several types of atomic orbital : s,p,d,f , etc
Each type has a characteristic shape and associated energy.

Schrodinger's:
A mathematical model was discovered by Schrodinger about the electronic structure of the atom there
are four quantum numbers :
 The first is the principle quantum mumber [n] which represents the energy levels.
 The second quantum number is the azimuthal quantum number [l ] which describes the
sublevel .
 The third quantum number is the magnetic quantum number [ ml ] which is the atomic orbital.
 The fourth quantum number is the spin quantum number [ms]which describes the spatial
orientation of the electron spin. (+1/2 or -1/2).

- Schrodinger's equation : it’s mathematical equation integrates the dual wave –like and particle
nature of the electron

The application of Schrodinger's equation to atoms is able to explain the nature of electrons in atoms
more accurately it’s a wave like nature

According the uncertainty principle, the exact position and momentum of an electron is indeterminate
and hence the concept of definite paths (as given by Bohr's model) is out if question. Thus the concept
of orbitals is thrown out of Bohr.

Note : Isoelectronic (have same number of electrons) i.e. elements with identical electronic
configuration

 Energy levels, sublevels, orbitals, and electron spin

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  The principle quantum number [n] which represents the energy levels.
 Each main energy level or shell can hold a maximum number of electrons given by 2n2.
[So the electron capacity for n = 1 is 2, for n = 2 is 8, for n = 3 is 18.]

 The energy levels are split up into sublevels , of which there are four common types: s, p, d,
and f .
[Each type has a characteristic shape and associated energy.]

 Each sublevel contains a number of orbitals, each of which can hold a maximum of 2
electrons.

Note the following :

Sublevel Number of orbital in sublevel Maximum number of electrons in

sublevel
S 1 2
P 3 6
d 5 10
f 7 14

 Orbital diagrams are used to represent the electron configurations for atoms

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  Arrows are drawn in the boxes to represent electrons , a maximum of 2 electrons in each
box (orbital) as shown below

 Relative energies of sub-levels within an atom

- To Deduce the maximum number of orbitals in n=3 energy level ?

n2 = 32 =9

- Shapes of the orbitals

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S sublevel : spherical symmetrical p sublevel : dumbbell shape d sublevel : leaflet shape

The three p atomic orbitals are dumbbell shaped aligned along x , y and z axes

 The four blocks of the periodic table corresponding to the s, p, d, and f sublevels

- Electron spin

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Two electrons in the same orbital have opposite values of the spin magnetic quantum number,
ms. The sign of ms (+1/2 or -1/ 2 ) indicates the orientation of the magnetic field generated by
.the electron

.There are different types of magnetism, including Para magnetism and diamagnetism
A paramagnetic material has at least one unpaired electron and hence can be attracted by a
magnetic field. The greater the number of unpaired electrons, the greater the force of attraction
in a magnetic field. In contrast, a diamagnetic material has all its electrons paired and can be
repelled by a magnetic field

 There are three principles that must be followed when representing electronic configuration
1) Aufbau principle : ‘building up principle ‘ , state that electrons fill lower energy orbital first
2) Pauli : Orbital can hold maximum two electrons
3) Hund’s : Electrons fill orbitals single before pairing of electrons

 Ways on writing electronic configuration:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFN9agJVea4
a) Energy notation
b) Orbital notation (full configuration)
c) Box notation (orbital diagram)
d) Nobel gas notation [ condensed notation]

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 a) Energy notation
Example : Na 11 : 2,8,1

b) Full configuration
Example for elements in s-block : beryllium Be 4 : 1s2 2s2
Example for elements in p -block : sulphur S16 : 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p4
Example for elements in d- block : Iron Fe 26 : 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d6

c) Box notation (orbital diagram)

Example Carbon C6 :

- You may be asked to show orbital diagram in the order of energy levels [must show that
difference in energy between them] as shown below:

Example orbital diagram of fluorine atom :

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 d) Nobel gas notation [ condensed notation]

[nearest noble gas core] + valence electrons

Example for bromine Br 35:

 Remarks :
The more stable the atom that have half filled or completely filled orbitals or has empty
orbitals

The 4s and 3d sublevel have close energy , so it’s easy to jump electron from s to d sublevel.
The 4s is filled first with electrons before 3d because it’s lower in energy , and the electrons
are removed first before the 3d because 4s is located in a higher energy level than the 3d
The coefficient of d-sublevel should be one less than that of s-sublevel
 The 4s sub- level is below the 3d sub- level. This explains why the third level is
sometimes stated to hold 8 or 1 8 electrons

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 The transition metals are 3d so they have the ability to be colored , other elements are
colourless or white because they end by other block as S block , they could be colorful if we
gave them energy.
Represents the group (electrons in the outermost shell) = 3

Configuration of 13Al : 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p1 , 3s and 3p represents the last shell

Represent period (number of shells) = 3

 Exceptions for chromium and copper :

Two of the first 36 elements have electron configurations that differ from what you may predict. These
two elements are Cr (Z= 24) and Cu (Z= 29):

In these two elements electrons go into the 3d orbitals before completely filling the 4s orbital.
Chromium has a half-filled 3d sublevel of 5 electrons and copper has a completely filled 3d sublevel
of 10 electrons. Half-filled and completely filled 3d sublevels reduce the overall potential energy of
an atom, so the electron configurations 3d54s1 and 3d104s1 are more stable than 3d44s2 and 3d94s2,
respectively.

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 Question One :

1) Deduce the full electron configurations for Mg, Mg2+ , O, and O2- ?
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2) Deduce the condensed electron configurations of S, S2- , Fe, Fe2+ , Cu, and Cu+ ?

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3. a) Deduce the full electron configuration for Mn and Mn2+

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b) Deduce the condensed electron configuration for Cu2+

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c) Draw orbital diagrams for Co2+ and As

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d) Deduce the orbital diagrams for Ni, Ni2+, and Se.

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e) Deduce the maximum number of orbitals in n=2 energy level?

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Question Two

1) Which shows the sub-levels in order of increasing energy in the fourth energy level of an atom?
A. f < d < p < s
B. p < d < f < s
C. d < f< p < s
D. s < p < d < f

2)What is the electron configuration of copper?

A. [Ar]4s2 3d9 C. 1s22s22p63s23p64s13d10

B. 1s22s22p63s23p63d10 D. [Ar] 3d9

3) How many unpaired electrons are present in an atom of sulfur in its ground state?

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A. 1 C. 4
B. 2 D. 6

4) What is the condensed electron Configuration for Co3+?

A. [Ar]4s2 3d7
B. [Ar]4s2 3d4
C. [Ar] 3d6
D. [Ar]4s1 3d5

5 ) The full electron configuration of an element is:

1s22s22p63s23p2
To which group and period does the element belong?
Period Group
A 2 3
B 3 2
C 3 4
D 14 3

Question three :

1) Define the term relative atomic mass, Ar.

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2a)Explain why the relative atomic mass of cobalt is greater than the relative atomic mass of nickel,
even though the atomic number of nickel is greater than the atomic number of cobalt. guide
b) Deduce the numbers of protons and electrons in the Co2+ ion.

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c) ( i) Deduce the electron configuration of the Co atom.
( ii) Deduce the electron configuration of the Co2 + ion.

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3) Annotate the 2s and 2p boxes, using or to represent a spinning electron, to complete the electron
configuration for an oxygen atom. guide

1S 2S 2P

4)The electron configuration of chromium can be expressed as [Ar] 4Sx 3dy.

( i) Explain what the square brackets around argon, [Ar] , represent.
( ii) State the values of x and y.
( iii) Annotate the diagram below showing the 4s and 3d orbitals for a chromium atom using an arrow,
or to represent a spinning electron.

4S 3d

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5.i) Deduce the orbital diagram for silicon using a box to represent an orbital and and to
represent Electrons with opposite spins.

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