Electron Configuration

Front

What is electron configuration?

Back

The distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals, indicating how many electrons occupy each energy level and sublevel.

Front

What is the maximum number of electrons that can occupy a single orbital?

Back

2 electrons, due to the Pauli exclusion principle.

Front

What is the significance of the Periodic Table in relation to electron configuration?

Back

The Periodic Table organizes elements by increasing atomic number, which correlates with their electron configurations and helps predict their chemical properties.

Front

What are valence electrons?

Back

Electrons in the outermost shell of an atom that are involved in chemical bonding.

Front

How do you determine the number of valence electrons for an element?

Back

By looking at its group number in the Periodic Table; for main group elements, the group number corresponds to the number of valence electrons.

Front

What is the electron configuration for a Neon atom?

Back

1s² 2s² 2p⁶.

Front

What is the shorthand notation for electron configuration?

Back

A simplified way to write electron configurations using the nearest noble gas to represent inner-shell electrons.

Front

What is the electron configuration for Chlorine?

Back

1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁵.

Front

What is the electron configuration for an atom with atomic number 26 (Iron)?

Back

1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d⁶.

Front

What is the Aufbau principle?

Back

The principle that electrons occupy the lowest energy orbitals first before filling higher energy levels.