Electron Configuration within an Orbital
We can think of an atom like a hotel. The nucleus is the lobby where the protons and neutrons are, and in the floors above, we find the rooms (orbitals) with the electrons. The principal quantum number is the floor number, the subshell type lets us know what type of room it is (s being a closet, p being a single room, d having two adjoining rooms, and f being a suit with three rooms) , the magnetic quantum number lets us know how many beds there are in the room, and two electrons can sleep in one bed (this is because each has a different spin; -1/2 and 1/2). For example, on the first floor we have the s orbital. The s orbital is a closet and has one bed in it so the first floor can hold a total of two electrons. The second floor has the room styles s and p. The s is a closet with one bed as we know and the p room is a single with three beds in it so the second floor can hold a total of 8 electrons.
Each orbital, as previously mentioned, has its own energy level associated to it. The lowest energy level electron orbitals are filled first and if there are more electrons after the lowest energy level is filled, they move to the next orbital. The order of the electron orbital energy levels, starting from least to greatest, is as follows: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p, 7s, 5f, 6d, 7p.
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Since electrons all have the same charge, they stay as far away as possible because of repulsion. So, if there are open orbitals in the same energy level, the electrons will fill each orbital singly before filling the orbital with two electrons. For example, the 2p shell has three p orbitals. If there are more electrons after the 1s, and 2s orbitals have been filled, each p orbital will be filled with one electron first before two electrons try to reside in the same p orbital. This is known as Hund’s rule.
The way electrons move from one orbital to the next is very similar to walking up a flight of stairs. When walking up stairs, you place one foot on the first stair and then another foot on the second stair. At any point in time, you can either stand with both feet on the first stair, or on the second stair but it is impossible to stand in between the two stairs. This is the way electrons move from one electron orbital to the next. Electrons can either jump to a higher energy level by absorbing, or gaining energy, or drop to a lower energy level by emitting, or losing energy. However, electrons will never be found in between two orbitals.
- Which orbital would the electrons fill first? The 2s or 2p orbital?
- How many d orbitals are there in the d subshell?
- How many electrons can the p orbital hold?
- Determine the number of angular and radial nodes of a 4f orbital.
- What is the shape of an orbital with 4 radial nodes and 1 angular node in the xy plane?
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Category: WHICH
