ELECTRON ARRANGEMENT WITHIN ATOMS

As electrons move about an atoms nucleus, they are restricted to specific

regions within the extra nuclear portion of the atom. Such restrictions are
determined by the amount of energy the electrons possess.
The space in which the electron move rapidly about a nucleus is divided into
subspaces called shells, subshells, and orbitals

ELECTRON SHELLS
Electrons within an atom are grouped into main energy levels called electron
shells

Is a region of space about the nucleus that contains electrons that have
approximately the same energy and that spend most of their time
approximately the same distance from the nucleus
Electron shells are numbered 1, 2, 3, and so on, outward from the nucleus.
An electron in shell 1 has the minimum amount of energy that an electron
can have.****
The maximum number of electron that an electron shell can accommodate
varies; the higher the shell number (n), the more electrons that can be
present
- In the higher-energy shells, the electron are farther from the
nucleus, and a greater volume of space is available for them; hence
more electron can be accommodated.
The lowest-energy shell (n=1) accommodates a maximum of two (2)
electrons. In the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, 8, 18, and 32 electrons, respectively are
allowed. The relationship among these numbers is given by the formula 2n2,
where n is the shell number.

ELECTRON SUBSHELLS
Within each electron shell, electrons are further grouped into energy
sublevels called electron subshells.
Electron subshell- is a region of space within an electron shell that contains
electrons that have the
same energy.
We can draw an analogy between the relationship of shells and subshells and
the physical layout of a high-rise apartment complex.
The shells are analogous to the floors of the apartment complex, and the
subshells are the counterparts of the various apartments on each floor.
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The number of subshells within a shell is the same as the shell number. Shell
1 contains one subshell, shell 2 contains two subshells, shell 3 contains three
subshells, and so on.
Subshell size (type) is designated using the letters s,p,d, and f.
The letters used to label the different types of subshells come from old
spectroscopic terminology associated with the lines in the spectrum of the
element hydrogen. These lines were denoted as sharp, principal, diffuse, and
fundamental.
Both a number and the letter are used in identifying subshells. The number
gives the shell within which the subshell is located, and the letter gives the
type of subshell.
Shell 1 has only one subshellthe 1s. Shell 2 has two subshells2s
and 2p. Shell 3: 3s, 3p, and 3d, and so on.

The lowest-energy subshell within a shell is always the s subshell, the next
highest is the p subshell and so on.
An s subshell can accommodate two (2) electrons, a p subshell 6 electrons, a
d subshell 10 electrons, and an f subshell 14 electrons.
The four subshell types (s, p, d, f) are sufficient when dealing with shells of
higher number than shell 4 because in such shells any additional subshells
present are not needed to accommodate electrons.
For example, in shell 5 there are five subshell types (5s, 5p, 5d, 5f, and
a fifth one that is never used). The reason why subshells are not needed
involves the consideration of the order of filling of subshells with
electrons. ( to be discussed in the topic Electron configuration and
orbital diagrams)

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ELECTRON ORBITALS

Also often called an atomic orbital

Is a region of space within an electron subshell where an electron with a
specific energy most likely to be found
In our apartment complex analogy, if shells are the counterparts of
floor levels and subshells are the apartments, then electron orbitals
are the rooms of the apartments
Electron orbital, independent of all other considerations, can accommodate a
maximum of 2 electrons. Thus,
Type
shape
s subshell (2 electrons) = 1 orbital
spherical
p subshell (6 electrons) = 3 orbitals
d subshell (10 electrons) = 5 orbitals
f subshell (14 electrons) = 7 orbitals

Orbitals have distinct shapes that are related to the type of subshell in which
they are found. Note that we are talking not about the shape of an electron,
but rather about the shape of the region in which the electron is found. An
orbital in an s subshell, which is called an s orbital, has a spherical shape.
Orbitals found in p subshells- p orbitals- have shapes similar to figure 8. A d
orbital has four lobes and an f orbital has eight lobes.

Orbitals within the same subshell, which have the same shape, differ mainly
in orientation. For example, the three 2p orbitals extend out from the nucleus
at 90-degree angles to one another (along the x, y, and z axes in a Cartesian
coordinate system).

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Shell-Subshell-Orbital Interrelationships

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ELECTRON SPIN
Experimental studies indicate that as an electron moves about within an
orbital, it spins on its own axis in either a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction.
Furthermore, when two electrons are present in an orbital, they always have
opposite spins; that is, one is spinning clockwise and the other counterclockwise.
This situation of opposite spins is energetically the most favorable state for two
electrons in the same orbital.

ELECTRON CONFIGURATIONS AND ORBITAL DIAGRAMS

Electron shells, subshells, and orbitals describe permissible locations for
electrons-that is, where electrons can be found. We are now ready to discuss actual
locations of the electrons in specific atoms.
There are many orbitals about the nucleus of an atom. Electrons do not
occupy these orbitals in a random, haphazard fashion; a very predictable pattern
exists for electron orbital occupancy.
There are three rules for assigning electrons to various shells, subshells, and
orbitals.
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1. Electron subshells are filled in order of increasing energy.

The ordering of electron subshells in terms of increasing energy, which is

experimentally determined, is more complex than might be expected. This is
because the energies of subshells in different shells often overlap
A useful mnemonic device for remembering subshell filling order, which
incorporates overlap situations is shown below.

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2. Electrons occupy the orbitals of a subshell such that each orbital acquires one
electron before any orbital acquires a second electron. All electrons in such
singly occupied orbitals must have the same spin.

3. No more than two electrons may exist in a given orbital- and then only if they
have opposite spins.

WRITING ELECTRON CONFIGURATIONS AND ORBITAL DIAGRAMS

Electron Configuration

Is a statement of how many electrons an atom has in each of its

electron subshells.

Subshells containing electrons, listed in order of increasing energy, are

designated by using number-letter combinations (1s, 2s, and 3p). A superscript
following each subshell designation indicates the number of electrons in that
subshell.
Ex. Electron configuration of Nitrogen: 1s22s22p3
Thus, a nitrogen has an electron arrangement of two electrons in the 1s subshell. 2
electrons in the 2s subshell, and 3 electrons in the 2p subshell.
Orbital Diagram

is a notation that shows how many electrons an atom has in each of its
occupied electron orbitals.

This diagram indicates that both the 1s and the 2s orbitals are filled, each
containing two electrons of opposite spin. In addition, each of the three 2p orbitals
contains 1 electron. Electron spin is denoted by the direction (up or down) in which
an arrow points.

THE ELECTRONIC BASIS FOR THE PERIODIC LAW AND THE PERIODIC TABLE
Groups of elements have similar chemical properties because of similarities in
their electron configuration. Chemical properties repeat themselves in a regular
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manner among the elements because electron configurations repeat themselves in

a regular manner among the elements.
3

Li: 1s22s1

11

K: 1s22s22p63s23p64s1

19

Na:1s22s22p63s1

Rb: 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d104p65s1

37

The electron arrangement in the outermost shell is the same for elements in
the same group.
Valence electron

Valence electron is the electron in the outermost shell. The outermost

shell is the shell with the highest number.

F: 1s22s22p5
Cl: 1s22s22p63s23p5

17

Br: 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d104p5

35

I: 1s22s22p63s23p64s23d104p65s24d105p5

53

The specific location of an element in the periodic table can be used to obtain
information about its electron configuration.

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As shown in Figure, on the extreme left of the table, there are 2 columns of
elements; in the center there is a region containing 10 columns of elements; to the
right there is a block of 6 columns of elements; and in the two rows at the bottom of
the table, there are 14 columns of elements.
The number of columns of elements in the various regions of the periodic
table2, 6, 10, and 14is the same as the maximum number of electrons that the
various types of subshells can accommodate.
The various columnar regions of the periodic table are called the s area (2
columns), the p area (6 columns), the d area (10 columns), and the f area (14
columns)
The concept of distinguishing electrons is the key to obtaining electron
configuration information from the periodic table. A distinguishing electron is the
last electron added to the electron configuration for an element when electron
subshells are filled in order of increasing energy. This last electron is the one that
causes an elements electron configuration to differ from that of the element
immediately preceding it in the periodic table.

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Classification of the Elements

The elements can be classified in several ways. The two most common
classification systems are
1.

A system based on selected physical properties of the elements, in which

they are described as metals or nonmetals.

2. A system based on the electron configurations of the elements, in which

elements are described as noble-gas, representative, transition, or inner
transition elements.

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PERIODIC TRENDS
Many properties of atoms exhibit periodic trends; that is, they change in a
regular way across a row or down a column of the periodic table.
ATOMIC SIZE

The size of atoms increases down a column of the periodic table, as the
valence electrons are farther from the nucleus.
The size of atoms decreases across a row of the periodic table as the
number of protons in the nucleus increases. An increasing number of
protons pulls the electrons closer to the nucleus, so the atom gets
smaller.
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IONIZATION ENERGY
Since a negatively charged electron is attracted to a positively charged
nucleus, energy is required to remove an electron from a neutral atom. The more
tightly the electron is held, the greater the energy required to remove it. Removing
an electron from a neutral atom forms a cation.

The ionization energy is the energy needed to remove an electron from a

neutral atom.
Ionization energies decrease down a column of the periodic table as the
valence electrons get farther from the positively charged nucleus.
Ionization energies generally increase across a row of the periodic table as
the number of protons in the nucleus increases.

ELECTRONEGATIVITY

Electronegativity is the ability of an atom to pull electrons toward itself.

Increases UP and to the RIGHT
Fluorine has the highest electronegativity
Noble gases have no electronegativity because they dont form bonds

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Examples
Which atom has the larger radius?
Be or Ba
Ca or Br
Ba
Ca
Which atom has the higher Ionization Energy?
N or Bi
Ba or Ne
N
Ne
Which atom has the higher electronegativity?
Li or C
Cr or Kr
C
Kr

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