Question 1

What is the aufbau principle and how does it determine electron configuration?

Accepted Answer

The aufbau principle states that electrons fill atomic orbitals from lowest to highest energy to achieve the lowest-energy configuration. This German term means "to build up." Electrons occupy the subshell of lowest energy available, subject to quantum number limitations. Each orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons before higher-energy subshells are filled.

Question 2

Why do s orbitals sometimes have lower energy than d orbitals in higher shells?

Accepted Answer

Although energy generally increases with shell number, s orbitals penetrate closer to the nucleus than d orbitals. This greater penetration of s orbitals leads to the four-s orbital having lower energy than the three-d orbital, and the five-s orbital having lower energy than the four-d orbital, affecting the filling order.

Question 3

What does Hund's rule of maximum multiplicity explain about electron filling?

Accepted Answer

Hund's rule states that electrons singly occupy all orbitals of a given energy level before pairing begins, and unpaired electrons must have parallel spins. This arrangement spreads electrons over a larger area, decreasing their shielding of each other and minimizing the atom's energy. For example, carbon's two 2p electrons occupy different orbitals with parallel spins.

Question 4

What are degenerate orbitals and why does it matter for electron filling?

Accepted Answer

Degenerate orbitals are orbitals within the same subshell that have identical energy. Because they are equivalent in energy, an electron can enter any of the degenerate orbitals. This equivalence is why Hund's rule applies: electrons distribute among degenerate orbitals singly before pairing occurs, following the principle of maximum multiplicity.

Question 5

How do you write the electron configuration for carbon using the aufbau principle?

Accepted Answer

Carbon has atomic number six. The 1s orbital fills first with two electrons, followed by the 2s orbital with two electrons. The fifth electron enters a 2p orbital, and the sixth electron enters a different 2p orbital with parallel spin, giving carbon the configuration 1s² 2s² 2p². This follows both the aufbau principle and Hund's rule.

Question 6

What is the difference between core electrons and valence electrons?

Accepted Answer

Core electrons occupy inner shells and are not involved in bonding, while valence electrons occupy the outermost shell and participate in chemical reactions. For neon, two core electrons fill the inner shell and eight valence electrons fill the outermost shell to its maximum capacity, creating a stable noble gas configuration.

Question 7

How does the Pauli exclusion principle relate to electron filling in orbitals?

Accepted Answer

The Pauli exclusion principle requires that electrons in the same orbital differ in their spin quantum number. When two electrons occupy one orbital, they must have opposite spins. This principle, combined with the aufbau principle and Hund's rule, ensures that each orbital accommodates a maximum of two electrons with opposite spins.

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