Wize High School Grade 12 Chemistry Textbook > Atomic Models and Properties of Atoms
Electronic Configuration for Atoms
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Electron Configurations of Atoms
- Label blocks
- describe the n number for each block
Simple Electron Configurations
Shorthand Notations
Write the name of the previous noble gas and then fill in the rest of the electron configuration.
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Electron Configurations Cheatsheet
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Electron Configuration Exceptions
Transition metals have their valence electrons in the d subshell.
It is a lot more favourable (and stable) to have d shell either half full or totally full instead of just partially full.
Wize Tip
The other exceptions that follow this same trend are: Mo, Ag, and Au! (Note that they are in the same groups that Cr and Cu are in!)
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Example: Writing Out Electron Configurations
Part 1:
Write the full electronic configurations for the following elements:
P:
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p3
Se:
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p4
Part 2:
Write the short electron configurations for the following elements:
Zn:
[Ar] 4s2 3d10
Zr:
[Kr] 5s2 4d2
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Example: Condensed Electron Configuration
What is the condensed electronic configuration for Mo?
We ignore everything before the previous noble gas (Kr), which means we are only working with the 5s and 4d blocks. Let's fill them up:
But there is something special about Mo. It is in group 6. This group tends to fill (or in this case half-fill) the d-block at the expense of the s block.
Therefore, the electronic configuration is [Kr]5s14d5.
Practice: Identify the Neutral Element
What neutral element is represented in the example below?
became
Practice: Impossible Electron Configuration
Which of the following electronic configurations is not possible?
