Electron Configuration

Electron Configuration

Mrs. Nebzydoski's Lesson

Electron Configuration tells you the location that an electron "lives" at in an atom

• There are four types of orbital shapes

• S, p, d, & f

Multiple Choice

There are _____ types of atomic orbitals.

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

The orbital shapes can be described as the path that the electron takes around the nucleus.

• There is:

• 1 s orbital

• 3 p orbitals

• 5 d orbitals

• 7 f orbitals

Orbital shapes

As you can see, the s orbital is a circular path around the nucleus and that is why there is only one option. The p orbital is a figure-8 path that can be on the x-axis, the y-axis, or the z-axis in a 3-D atom. This is why there are 3 different p orbitals.

Multiple Select

Which of the following are TRUE of atomic orbitals?

• There is 1 s orbital

• There are 3 p orbitals

• There are 5 d orbitals

• There are 7 f orbitals

Each orbital can contain up to 2 electrons

• s orbitals can hold a total of 2 electrons (1 orbital)

• p orbitals can hold a total of 6 electrons (3 orbitals)

• d orbitals can hold a total of 10 electrons (5 orbitals)

• f orbitals can hold a total of 14 electrons (7 orbitals)

Multiple Choice

How many electrons can fit in one orbital?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Periodic Table and Orbitals

The periodic table gets its shape from the type of atomic orbitals that are filled in the atoms of the collumns.

The blocks of the periodic table

As you can see here the "s" block is shown on the left in pink, the "p" block is on the right in orange, the "d" block is in the middle shown in blue, and the "f" block is shown below in yellow.

Multiple Choice

Look at a periodic table. Count how many columns on the periodic table are in the "p" block. How many columns did you find?

• 2

• 6

• 10

• 14

Columns on the periodic table and the orbitals...

• The s block contains 2 columns

• The p block contains 6 columns

• The d block contains 10 columns

• The f block contains 14 columns

Think about it....

The s block contains 2 columns and the "s" orbitals can contain 2 electrons. The p block contains 6 columns and the "p" orbitals can contain up to 6 electrons. The d block contains 10 columns and the the "d" orbitals can contain up to 10 electrons! (This is NOT a coincidence!)

Multiple Choice

If the f block contains 14 columns, then it would make sense that an f orbital can hold up to _____ electrons.

• 2

• 5

• 7

• 14

Orbital filling

Electrons fill these orbitals in a way that allows them to take the easiest root possible. The LOWEST energy levels are filled first.

Orbital filling cheat sheet

You copied this orbital filling diagram cheat sheet in your notes. It is important that you always use it to fill electrons into orbitals when completing electron configurations.

Multiple Choice

Using your orbital filling cheat sheet, tell me which orbital fills after the 2 p orbital is full.

• 3p

• 3s

• 2s

• 1p

Multiple Choice

Using your orbital filling cheat sheet, which orbital fills after the 4s orbital?

• 4p

• 5s

• 3d

• 4f

Up next....Electron Configuration!

The end.