spdf orbital e- configuration

How many e- can fit in an orbital?

• 1

• 2

• 4

• 8

Answer explanation

orbitals are the 3D regions of high probability for finding an e-. It is the concept of the Wave-Mechanical Model of the atom (the modern, most sophisticated model of the atom)

Each orbital can hold 2 e-.

Because the 1st energy level has only 1 orbital (an s orbital), it can hold a max of 2 e-

2nd energy level has space for 4 total orbitals ( one s orbital and three p orbitals), and thus space for 8 e-.

Label the three parts of an electron configuration:

d

e

g

group

protons

section

number of electrons

family

orbital type

principal energy level

How many e- can fit in the first energy level?

• 0

• 1

• 2

• 4

• 8

Since carbon has 6 total electrons and each orbital can hold 2 e-, how many occupied orbitals does an atom of carbon have?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

• 8

Answer explanation

6 / 2 = 3. So three orbitals.

there is the first level s orbital,

the second level s orbital

and one second level p orbital.

configuration for a carbon atom is 1s²2s²2p²

(our Regents-level configuration is 2-4 ... 2 in 1st level and 4 in second level... which is what the spdf notation is saying also)

What is the spdf orbital e- notation for an atom of Mg?

(hint... the electrons in the p orbitals are described together.)

• 2-8-2

• 1s²2s²2p⁶3s²

• 1s²2s²2p⁶

• 2-8

• 1s²2p⁸2s²

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-1

What is the spdf orbital e- notation for an atom of oxygen?

• 1s²

• 1s²2s²

• 1s²2s²2p²

• 1s²2s²2p⁴

• 1s²2s²2p⁶

Answer explanation

1s²2s²2p⁴ has a total of 8 electrons.

The ^{superscripted numbers} are the actual e-. The other notation simply describes their principal energy level and the type of orbital they are in.

in our simplified e- configuration of 2-6 for an atom of oxygen, the s orbital electrons and the p orbital electrons are lumped together to be the "6" in the 2nd shell.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-1

What number is missing, #, in this spdf orbital e- configuration for an atom of nitrogen? 1s²2s^#2p³

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS1-1