Orbital Notation

Electron Configuration

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

• There are four types of sublevels or orbital shapes

• S, p, d, & f

Multiple Choice

There are _____ types of sublevels or 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

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

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

Multiple Choice

If the s block contains 2 columns, then it would make sense that an s orbital can hold up to _____ electrons.

• 2

• 5

• 7

• 14

Multiple Choice

If the p block contains 6 columns, then it would make sense that an p orbital can hold up to _____ electrons.

• 2

• 6

• 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

By following the arrows you can easily find out the proper electron configuration levels.


This is the EXACT same thing as following the periodic table one element at a time.

USE WHATEVER IS EASIER FOR YOU

Multiple Choice

Using your orbital filling cheat sheet OR your p-table, 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

You can show an electrons address in two ways: an orbital diagram or an electron configuration

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.

Orbital Diagrams = arrows chart with sublevels and orbitals listed


Electron Configuration = Letters and numbers only = 1s2 2s2 2p6....

Lets start with orbital diagrams!


To start - remember the rules

Aufbau Principle

states that electrons fill lower-energy atomic orbitals before filling higher-energy ones (Aufbau is German for "building-up")

Pauli Exclusion Principle

No two electrons in the same atom can have identical values for all four of their quantum numbers.

In other words:

(1) no more than two electrons can occupy the same orbital

(2) two electrons in the same orbital must have opposite spins 

Hunds Rule

every orbital in a subshell is singly occupied with one electron before any one orbital is doubly occupied, and all electrons in singly occupied orbitals have the same spin.

Multiple Choice

Electrons occupy orbitals of lowest energy first is part of what electron configuration rule?

• Hund’s Rule
• Aufbau Principle
  
• Pauli Exclusion Principle

Multiple Choice

Electrons fill orbitals one at a time until the have to double up. #Solitude

• Hund’s Rule
• Aufbau Principle
  
• Pauli Exclusion Principle

Multiple Choice

Which orbital shows a violation of the Aufbau Principle?

• A
• B
• C
• D

Multiple Choice

Which orbital shows a violation of Hund's Rule?

• A
• B
• C
• D

Multiple Choice

Which element is pictured?

• neon
• fluorine
• magnesium
• argon

Multiple Choice

Which element is depicted from this orbital diagram

• Fluorine
• Neon
• Chlorine
• Argon

Multiple Choice

What is incorrect about this orbital diagram?

• Both arrows in the 2p box should be pointing up
• There is nothing incorrect with this diagram
• In the 2p box there should only be 1 electron in the first 2p box and one in the 2nd 2p box
• All the arrows should be pointing up.

How to Write an Electron Configuration:

1. Start with the shell/period number

2. Followed by the type of orbital

3. Finally the superscript indicates the number of electrons in the orbital

Example: B = 1s² 2s² 2p¹

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct electron configuration for Terbium (Tb).

• 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁹ 5p⁶ 6s²

• 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f⁹

• 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f⁵

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct electron configuration for Krypton (Kr).

• 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s⁸ 3d⁸

• 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d⁸ 4p3

• 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d⁸ 4p⁶

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct electron configuration for Nickel (Ni).

• 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d⁸

• 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d²

• 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s¹⁰

Fill in the Blank

Write the correct electron configuration for Boron. Type your answer like this 1s2 2s2....

Fill in the Blank

Write the correct electron configuration for Bromine (Br). Type your answer like this 1s2 2s2....

• Noble gasses are the last column of the periodic table

• They are less reactive than any other atoms on the periodic table because their final orbital is filled

Noble Gases

• Shortcut (use the last noble gas)

Noble Gas Configuration

​Core Electrons – go up one energy level and over to the noble gas

Multiple Choice

What is the noble gas configuration for beryllium?

• [He]1s²
• [He]2s²
• [Li]2s¹
• [Li]2s²

Multiple Choice

What is the noble gas configuration for boron?

• [He]1s²2s²
• [He]2s²2p²
• [He]2s²2p¹
• [Li]2s²2p¹

Multiple Choice

What is the noble gas configuration for Sulfur?

• [Ar] 3p⁴
• [He] 3s² 3p⁴
• [Ne] 3s² 3p⁴
• [Na] 3s² 3p⁴
  

Fill in the Blank

Write the correct Valence configuration for Bromine (Br). Type your answer like this 1s2 2s2....

To create a valence electron configuration

1. Find the highest level your element is in

2. Give only the s or the s +p if it is available

Example: Nitrogen

Nitrogen is in energy level 2 so it should be 1s2 2s2 2p3

Valence configuration would only be 2s2 2p3

Fill in the Blank

Write the correct noble gas configuration for Bromine (Br). Type your answer like this (Ne) 3s2....

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