Electron Configuration and

the Periodic Table

Book Reference:
Section 3, Chapter 3
 The Puzzle of the Atom
Protons and electrons are attracted to each
other because of opposite charges
Electrically charged particles moving in a
curved path give off energy
Despite these facts, atoms don’t collapse
 The electron
 What is an electron?
 How does it behave or function?
 What evidence do we have for the
existence of the electron?
 Discovery of the Electron
In 1897, J.J. Thomson used a cathode ray tube
to deduce the presence of a negatively charged
particle.

Cathode ray tubes pass electricity through a gas

that is contained at a very low pressure.
 Wave-Particle Duality
JJ Thomson won the Nobel prize for describing the
electron as a particle.
His son, George Thomson won the Nobel prize for
describing the wave-like nature of the electron.

The
electron is The
a particle! electron is
an energy
wave!
 The Wave-like Electron

The electron propagates

through space as an energy
wave. To understand the
atom, one must understand
the behavior of
electromagnetic waves.

Louis deBroglie
Electromagnetic radiation propagates
through space as a wave moving at the
speed of light.

c = νλ
C = speed of light, a constant (3.00 x 108 m/s)
ν = frequency, in units of hertz (hz, sec-1)
λ = wavelength, in meters
Types of electromagnetic radiation:
The energy (E ) of electromagnetic
radiation is directly proportional to the
frequency (ν) of the radiation.
E = hν
E = Energy, in units of Joules (kg·m2/s2)

h = Planck’s constant (6.626 x 10-34 J·s)

ν = frequency, in units of hertz (hz, sec-1)

 Long
Wavelength
= Wavelength Table
Low Frequency
=
Low ENERGY

Short
Wavelength
=
High Frequency
=
High ENERGY
Spectroscopic analysis of the visible spectrum…

…produces all of the colors in a continuous spectrum

Spectroscopic analysis of the hydrogen
spectrum…
…produces a “bright line” spectrum
Absorption and Emission of Energy
 Electron Orbitals
 How are electrons arranged around the
nucleus of an atom?
 What do these arrangements look like?
 Electron Orbitals
 One way to think about orbitals is to think
of them as rooms within a house.
 The house is all of the electrons in an
atom, with the rooms being where the
electrons are located.
 In the quantum model, the rooms are
represented with letters.
 Electron Energy Level (Shell)
Generally symbolized by n, it denotes the
probable distance of the electron from the
nucleus.

Number of electrons
that can fit in a shell:

2n2
Energy Levels, Sublevels, Electrons

Energy Sublevels in Number of Number of Number of

Level main energy orbitals per Electrons electrons per
(n ) level (n sublevel per sublevel main energy
sublevels) level (2n2)
1 S 1 2 2
2 S 1 2 8
p 3 6
3 S 1 2 18
P 3 6
D 5 10
4 S 1 2 32
P 3 6
D 5 10
F 7 14
The s orbital has a spherical shape centered around
the origin of the three axes in space.

The s orbital can

hold 2 electrons

s orbital shape
 P orbital shape
There are three dumbbell-shaped p orbitals in
each energy level above n = 1, each assigned to
its own axis (x, y and z) in space.

The p orbitals
can hold up to 6
electrons
 Things get a bit more
complicated with the five d
d orbital shapes
orbitals that are found in
the d sublevels beginning
with n = 3. To remember
the shapes, think of “double
dumbells”

…and a “dumbell
with a donut”!

The d orbitals can hold

10 electrons
 Shape of f orbitals

The f orbitals can hold 14 electrons.

 Electron Orbitals
 One way to think about orbitals is to think
of them as rooms within a house.
 The house is all of the electrons in an
atom, with the rooms being where the
electrons are located.
 In the quantum model, the rooms are
represented with letters.
 Electron Configuration
 Remember to start at the
beginning(1s) of each arrow,
and then follow it all of the way
to the end, filling in the
sublevels that it passes
through. In other words, the
order for filling in the sublevels
becomes; 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p,
4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f,
5d, 6p, 7s, 5f, 6d,7p.
 Note: the diagram in your book
is different, but the process is
the same.
 How to Write Electron
Configurations
1. Find the number of electrons in your
element
2. Use the orbital filling diagram(top of page
98 in your book) to place electrons until
you’ve reached the total number of
electrons for your element.
3. Check to make sure the number of
electrons used equals the number
needed to place.
 Forms of Electron Configuration
 Use manganese, Mn, and give the
following information
 Electron configuration
 Orbital Notation
 Noble gas notation
Orbital filling table
Element Identification and Electron
Configuration
 An element has the following electron
configuration: 1s22s22p63s23p5
 What is the symbol of the element?
 What is the highest energy level occupied by an
electron?
 How many electrons are in that energy level?
 What is the orbital notation for this element?
 What is the Noble gas configuration for this
element?
 Exit Questions
 What evidence is there for the existence of
electrons?
 What evidence exists for the existence of
electrons in discrete regions around the
nucleus?
 Describe the process for giving the
electron configuration for potassium(K).