The importance of these orbitals is apparent when we look at the Periodic Table.
Period
1 (H and He) is the n = 1 energy level. This means that there is only one orbital (1s)
available. H has 1 electron and He has 2, completely filling the 1s orbital. Electrons in the
same orbital must have different spin states ( a 4th quantum number), either spin up ( ) or
spin down ( ).
s block
p block
n=1
n=2 d block
n=3
n=4
n=5
n=6
n=7
So, the electron configuration for H is 1s1 and He is 1s2, since each s orbital can hold two
electrons.
These can also be drawn out as:
H 1s __ and He 1s __
In He, the electrons are paired, one spin up and one down. Parallel spins are not allowed
in an orbital. Electron spin is the 4th quantum number, ms, with values of +½ and -½ .
The next element is Li with 3 electrons or 1s2 2s1
The 2s orbital is higher in energy than the 1s orbital
Li 2s __
1s __
7. The next element is _Be_____ with _4__ electrons.
What is its electron configuration? 1s22s2
Energy level diagram? 2s ___
1s ___
8. Which element has 5 electrons? boron (B)
Which block is it part of? p
Write its electron configuration and draw its energy level diagram. Remember that
2 2 1
the number of orbitals changes with l . 1s 2s 2p
2p ___ ___ ___
2s ___
1s ___
9. Carbon has 6 electrons, 1s2 2s2 2p2. When we put a second electron in the p
orbitals, Hund's rule states that the electrons should have parallel spins (remain
unpaired) if possible. Add the electrons to the energy level diagram of C.
2p __ __ __
2s __
1s __
2 2 4
10. What is the electron configuration of oxygen? 1s 2s 2p
Draw the energy level diagram for oxygen.
2p __ __ __
2s __
1s __
Notice that oxygen has unpaired electrons. This means that oxygen is paramagnetic,
and will interact with magnetic fields.
11. Write out the electron configurations for Ne, Na and Al:
Ne: 1s22s22p6
Na: 1s22s22p63s1
Al: 1s22s22p63s23p1
You may have noticed that a lot of the electron configuration is repetitive. Every atom has
1s electrons. Comparing Ne, Na and Al shows that they are very similar up to the
configuration of Ne. There is a shorthand notation that can be used. Na is basically [Ne]
3s1 and Al is [Ne] 3s2 3p1. The previous noble gas is used as a summary of lower state
electrons.
12. In shorthand notation, what is the electron configuration for Ca?
[Ar]4s2
13. The next element is scandium. Which block is it in? Write the shorthand electron
configuration for Sc. (Hint: look at the table in question 1 to determine orbitals)
d block
Draw an energy level diagram for Sc.
3d __ __ __ __ __
4s __
3p __ __ __
3s __
2p __ __ __
2s __
1s __
14. Write the shorthand notation for the electron configuration of arsenic, As.
[Ar]4s23d104p3
15. Arrange the following orbitals in order of increasing energy.
(Hint: use the Periodic Table for help).
1s 3s 4s 3d 4f 3p 7s 5d 5p
1s < 3s < 3p < 4s < 3d < 5p < 4f < 5d < 7s
16. Write the shorthand electron configuration for Cl-. (How many electrons are
present?)
Cl- has 18 electrons, so it is isoelectronic with argon
[Ar]
Shown below are four different electronic configurations of carbon:
__ __ __ __ __ __ excited state 3
__ __ __ __ __ __ excited state 2
__ __ __ __ __ __ excited state 1
__ __ __ __ __ __ ground state
1s 2s 2p 3s
The bottom configuration is the ground state (lowest energy) configuration.
The others are excited state (higher energy) configurations.
17. Describe how each excited state is different from the ground state.
1 – the 2p electrons have opposite spins
2 – the 2p electrons are paired together
3 – one of the 2p electrons has been excited to the 3s orbital
What is wrong with the configuration shown below? Is it an excited state?
__ __ __ __ __ __
1s 2s 2p 3s
The 2p electrons both have the same set of 4 quantum numbers (n=2,
l=1, ml=-1 and ms=+½). This is NOT an excited state. This state is
forbidden.
18. Which of the following correspond to an excited state? Identify the atoms and write
the ground state configuration if needed.
a) 1s2 2s2 2p1 B
b) 1s2 2s2 2p6 Ne
c) 1s2 2s2 2p4 3s1 excited F; ground is 1s22s22p5
d) [Ar] 4s2 3d5 4p1 excited Fe; ground is [Ar]4s23d6
We will only be looking at the first row of the transition metals.
19. Write the shorthand electron configuration and energy level diagram for V.
[Ar]4s23d3
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d
20. The expected shorthand electron configuration and energy level diagram for Cr is:
[Ar]4s23d4
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d
This is not what is observed. Instead, one of the 4s electrons occupies one of the 3d
orbitals.
21. Write the observed shorthand electron configuration and energy diagram for Cr.
[Ar]4s13d5
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d
Notice that this puts 5 electrons in the 3d orbitals, leaving them ½ full. There seems to be
a special stability associated with the half-full orbitals.
This also happens when the 3d orbitals are full. Zn has 10 electrons in the 3d orbitals.
Cu should have only 9 electrons in the 3d orbitals.
22. Write the shorthand electron configuration and energy diagram of Cu with 10
electrons in the 3d orbitals, which is actually observed.
[Ar]4s13d10
__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d
