Name: how electrons fill atomic orbitals
Uploaded: 2023-04-30T18:28:31.000Z
Duration: 2 min 46 s
Channel: JoVE

K12 Standards

Louisiana Student Standards for Science

High School

Chemistry

Matter And Its Interactions

HS-PS1-1

Electron Configurations

The electron configuration of an atom represents the distribution of electrons among its atomic orbitals. The Pauli exclusion principle, Hund&#8217;s rule of maximum multiplicity, and the Aufbau principle can be extended to envisage the electron configuration of any element.
The Aufbau principle states that in the ground state, atomic orbitals fill in increasing order of energy. The relative energies of atomic orbitals are rationalized by Coulomb interactions, the shielding effect, and orbital penetration.
Consider the electron configuration for carbon&#8212;an element with atomic number six and thus neutral with six electrons. The 1s orbital, which has the lowest energy, is filled first.
According to the Pauli exclusion principle, no two electrons in an atom can have the same set of four quantum numbers. As electrons in the same orbital have the same principal, azimuthal, and magnetic quantum numbers, they must have different spin quantum numbers.
As the spin quantum number has only two possible values, an orbital can accommodate only two electrons, with opposite spins.
Though energy increases with shell number, the greater penetration of s orbitals lowers the energy of s orbitals relative to that of the p orbitals.
Therefore, the next two electrons occupy the 2s orbital and the fifth enters the 2p subshell. As orbitals within a subshell are presumed to be degenerate, the fifth electron can enter any of the three degenerate 2p orbitals.
The sixth electron follows Hund&#8217;s rule of maximum multiplicity and singly occupies a degenerate orbital rather than pairing. Hence, for carbon, the two 2p electrons occupy two different orbitals and have parallel spins.
The electron configuration diagram reveals that carbon has two electrons&#8212;called core electrons&#8212;in the inner shell and four electrons&#8212;called valence electrons&#8212;in the outermost shells.
The order of atomic orbitals relative to their energies can be remembered using such diagrams, where the path of the arrow reveals the sequence in which electrons are assigned to orbitals.
However, this progression becomes more complex as d and f orbitals are introduced and the sequence becomes less predictable for transition elements, lanthanides, and actinides.

electron configurations

Electron configurations and orbital diagrams can be determined by applying the Aufbau principle (each added electron occupies the subshell of lowest energy available), Pauli exclusion principle (no two electrons can have the same set of four quantum numbers), and Hund&#8217;s rule of maximum multiplicity (whenever possible, electrons retain unpaired spins in degenerate orbitals).
The relative energies of the subshells determine the order in which atomic orbitals are filled (1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, and so on). For various shells and subshells, the trend of penetrating power of an electron can be depicted as follows:
1s &#62; 2s &#62; 2p &#62; 3s &#62; 3p &#62; 4s &#62; 3d &#62; 4p &#62; 5s &#62; 4d &#62; 5p &#62; 6s &#62; 4f....
The effect of shielding and orbital penetration is large, and a 4s electron may have lower energy than a 3d electron.
Electrons in the outermost orbitals, called valence electrons, are responsible for most of the chemical behavior of elements. In the periodic table, elements with analogous valence electron configurations usually occur within the same group.
There are some exceptions to the predicted filling order, particularly when half-filled or completely filled orbitals can be formed. In the case of Cr and Cu, the half-filled and completely filled subshells apparently represent conditions of preferred stability. This stability is such that the electron shifts from the 4s into the 3d orbital to gain the extra stability of a half-filled 3d subshell (in Cr) or a filled 3d subshell (in Cu). Other exceptions also occur. For example, niobium (Nb, atomic number 41) is predicted to have the electron configuration [Kr]5s24d3. However, experimentally, its ground-state electron configuration is actually [Kr]5s14d4. We can rationalize this observation by saying that the electron&#8211;electron repulsions experienced by pairing the electrons in the 5s orbital are larger than the gap in energy between the 5s and 4d orbitals.
<a href="https://openstax.org/books/chemistry-2e/pages/6-4-electronic-structure-of-atoms-electron-configurations">This text is adapted from &#160;Openstax, Chemistry 2e, Section 6.4: Electronic Structure of Atoms</a>

Electron configurations and orbital diagrams can be determined by applying the Aufbau principle (each added electron occupies the subshell of lowest ...

Education

JoVE Core

Organic Chemistry

Unit 1

Covalent Bonding and Structure

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

how electrons fill atomic orbitals

Electron filling in atoms follows a set order based on orbital energy. The Aufbau principle says each new electron enters the lowest-energy subshell available. The Pauli exclusion principle says no two electrons can share the same set of four quantum numbers. Hund’s rule of maximum multiplicity says electrons stay unpaired in equal-energy orbitals when possible.

The order of filling follows the relative energies of the subshells. A common sequence is 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, and so on. This order is shaped by shielding and orbital penetration, which affect how strongly an electron feels the nucleus. A 4s electron may have lower energy than a 3d electron because of these effects.

Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost orbitals. They control most of the chemical behavior of an element. In the periodic table, elements with similar valence electron configurations usually appear in the same group. That pattern helps explain why group members often behave in similar ways.

The predicted filling order does not always match the real ground-state configuration. Some exceptions appear when half-filled or fully filled subshells are more stable. Chromium and copper are classic examples. In chromium, an electron shifts from 4s into 3d to make a half-filled 3d subshell. In copper, the shift creates a filled 3d subshell.

Other exceptions also occur. Niobium, with atomic number 41, is predicted to have the configuration [Kr]5s2 4d3. Experimentally, its ground-state electron configuration is [Kr]5s1 4d4. This can be explained by electron-electron repulsion in the 5s orbital. In this case, that repulsion is larger than the energy gap between the 5s and 4d orbitals.

How Electrons Fill Atomic Orbitals

what is organic chemistry?

Carbon Compounds in Everyday Life

Organic chemistry focuses on carbon compounds called organic compounds. These compounds may come from living things or be made by chemists. Carbon is the main element in them, and it bonds with other carbon atoms as well as hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur. Carbon can form up to four strong bonds. That ability lets carbon atoms build chains and rings of many sizes, shapes, and levels of complexity. Not every carbon-containing substance is classified as organic. Carbonates, cyanides, and...

electronic structure of atoms

Atomic Orbitals and Quantum Numbers

Atomic orbitals and quantum numbers describe how electrons are arranged around the nucleus. An atom has a small, positively charged nucleus with electrons surrounding it. The nucleus contains protons and neutrons, and the quantum mechanical model gives a better picture of this structure than older models. Protons carry a +1 charge and have a mass of 1.0073 amu. Neutrons have no charge and have a mass of 1.0087 amu. Electrons carry a −1 charge and have a mass of 0.00055 amu. The number of...

Electron filling in atoms follows a set order based on orbital energy. The Aufbau principle says each new electron enters the lowest-energy subshell available. The Pauli exclusion principle says no two electrons can share the same set of four quantum numbers. Hund’s rule of maximum multiplicity says electrons stay unpaired in equal-energy orbitals when possible. The order of filling follows the relative energies of the subshells. A common sequence is 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, and so on.

chemical bonds

Chemical Bonds: Types and Strength

Chemical bonds help atoms reach a full valence shell like the nearest noble gas. The main bond types are ionic, covalent, and metallic. Bond energy and bond length also help explain how strong a bond is. An ionic bond forms from electrostatic attraction between cations and anions. In many cases, one atom transfers electrons to another atom, and the ions form from that transfer. Ionic bonds have no defined direction because the attraction spreads evenly through three-dimensional space. A...

polar covalent bonds

Electronegativity in Polar Covalent Bonds

Polar covalent bonds form when atoms share electrons unevenly. This happens in covalent bonds between atoms that have similar, but not identical, tendencies to attract electrons. Nonmetal atoms often make these bonds with other nonmetals. Hydrogen gas, H2, is a simple example of a covalent bond between two hydrogen atoms. A covalent bond begins when two atoms move close enough for their valence orbitals to overlap. In hydrogen, the 1s orbitals overlap and the single electrons on each atom...

lewis structures and formal charges

Lewis Structures, Bonds, and Formal Charge

Lewis structures show how atoms share electrons in covalent bonds and in polyatomic ions. Lewis symbols help draw these structures, and the periodic table helps predict how many valence electrons an atom has and how many bonds it can form to reach an octet. Group 18 elements, such as argon and helium, already have filled electron configurations. They rarely take part in chemical bonding. Atoms in group 17, such as bromine and iodine, need one more electron to reach an octet, so they can form...

vsepr theory

Molecular Shapes from Electron Pairs

Molecular shape can be predicted from the way electron pairs arrange around a central atom. Valence shell electron-pair repulsion theory, or VSEPR theory, uses a Lewis structure to count bonding pairs and lone electron pairs. The main idea is simple: electron pairs spread out as far as possible to reduce repulsion. In a molecule, the valence electrons around the central atom can be bonding pairs or lone pairs. Bonding pairs are found mainly between bonded atoms. Lone pairs stay on one atom and...

molecular geometry and dipole moments

Predicting Shape and Molecular Polarity

Molecular shape and molecular polarity can be predicted with VSEPR theory and dipole moments. Start by writing the Lewis structure of the molecule or polyatomic ion. Then count the electron groups around the central atom. Lone pairs and bonds both count as electron groups, and a single, double, or triple bond each counts as one region of electron density. Use that count to identify the electron-pair geometry. Next, use the number of lone pairs to determine the molecular structure. If more than...

resonance and hybrid structures

Resonance in Nitrite and Carbonate Ions

Resonance explains why some Lewis structures do not match the measured properties of a molecule or ion. When two or more Lewis structures have the same atom arrangement, the real electron distribution is an average of the structures shown. The nitrite anion, NO2−, is one example. It can be drawn in two ways, with the N–O and N=O bonds in different places. If nitrite had one single bond and one double bond, the two bond lengths should be different, because a double bond is shorter and stronger...

valence bond theory and hybridized orbitals

valence-bond-theory-and-hybridized-orbitals

Covalent Bond Overlap and Orbital Hybridization

Covalent bonds form when orbitals on two atoms overlap and their single electrons pair up. The bond is stronger when the overlap is greater. Maximum overlap happens when the orbitals meet along a direct line between the two nuclei. A sigma bond, or σ bond, is the kind of covalent bond found in a single bond in a Lewis structure. In a σ bond, electron density is concentrated along the internuclear axis. A pi bond, or π bond, forms when two p orbitals overlap side by side. In a π bond, the...

mo theory and covalent bonding

Bond Order and Molecular Orbitals

Molecular orbital theory explains how electrons are arranged in molecules. It treats electron regions in a molecule much like atomic orbitals in an atom. A molecular orbital is the region of space where a valence electron is most likely to be found. Molecular orbitals form through the linear combination of atomic orbitals, or LCAO. When atomic wave functions combine in phase, they create regions with high electron density. When they combine out of phase, they create nodes, or regions with no...

intermolecular forces and physical properties

intermolecular-forces-and-physical-properties

How Intermolecular Forces Affect Matter

Intermolecular forces are the attractions between molecules, and they help explain how matter behaves. These forces influence melting points, boiling points, and whether substances mix with one another. Water has a much higher boiling point than hexane, which shows that water has stronger intermolecular forces. Three main kinds of intermolecular interactions are covered here. They include ion-dipole forces, dipole-dipole interactions, and van der Waals forces, which include London dispersion...

solubility

Why Some Substances Dissolve in Water

Solution formation depends on how solutes and solvents interact. A solution is a homogeneous mixture made of a solvent, which is the larger part, and a solute, which is the smaller part. The physical state of a solution is usually the same as the solvent. Concentration is often described as dilute for a low amount of solute or concentrated for a high amount of solute. When a solute dissolves, its particles are surrounded by solvent species. This process is called solvation. If water is the...

introduction to functional groups

Functional Groups and Organic Molecules

Functional groups are groups of atoms with specific chemical properties that appear within organic molecules. They are sometimes shown as "R." These groups sit along the carbon backbone of macromolecules, which can form chains or rings of carbon atoms. Functional groups help functionalize a compound. That means they can give the molecule different physical and chemical properties. In organic chemistry, this change in group structure can strongly affect how a compound behaves. Common...

overview of advanced functional groups

Advanced Functional Groups in Organic Chemistry

Advanced functional groups are atom clusters in organic molecules that give those molecules specific chemical properties. They are sometimes shown as "R" in formulas. By changing the atoms attached to a carbon skeleton, a functional group can make a compound behave differently in physical and chemical reactions. This topic covers several major classes of organic compounds with advanced functional groups. Aromatic hydrocarbons include benzene. Phenol is another example and is also called...

key terms and concepts

Learn how Aufbau, Pauli exclusion, and Hund’s rule guide orbital filling, why valence electrons matter, and why chromium, copper, and niobium are exceptions.

How Electrons Fill Atomic Orbitals | JoVE K12

organic chemistry

JoVE Core Organic Chemistry explains basic concepts of stereochemistry, reactions, and mechanisms using concise and easy-to-understand animated video lessons. Additionally, the scientist-in-action videos demonstrate the application of related concepts in classical and original research experiments performed in today's laboratories worldwide.

HS-PS1-2

Tennessee Academic Standards

Matter and Its Interactions

CHEM1.PS1.12

Virginia  Standards of Learning

HIgh School

CH.2

CH.2.d

Minnesota Academic Standards in Science

9-12

3.1.1 9C.2.1.1.1

Next Generation Science Standards

Physical Science

Florida Department of Education

SC.912.P.8

SC.912.P.8.5

SC.912.P.8.12

south-carolina-college-and-career-ready-science-standards

South Carolina College and Career Ready Science Standards

C-PS1-1

The Periodic Table

As early chemists discovered more elements, they realized that various elements could be grouped by their similar chemical behaviors. One such grouping ...

Periodic Classification of the Elements

The periodic table arranges atoms based on increasing atomic number so that elements with the same chemical properties recur periodically. When their ...

the-periodic-table-and-organismal-elements

The Periodic Table And Organismal Elements

Atomic Structure

The Greek philosopher Democritus proposed that everything on Earth is made up of tiny particles called atomos, Greek for &#34;indivisible,&#34; from which ...

Electronic Structure of Atoms


An atom comprises protons and neutrons, which are contained inside the dense, central&#160;core called the nucleus, with electrons present around the ...

electron-configuration-of-multielectron-atoms

Electron Configuration of Multielectron Atoms

The alkali metal sodium (atomic number 11) has one more electron than the neon atom. This electron must go into the lowest-energy subshell available, the ...

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Atomic Radii and Effective Nuclear Charge

The elements in groups of the periodic table exhibit similar chemical behavior. This similarity occurs because the members of a group have the same number ...

The Aufbau Principle and Hund's Rule

To determine the electron configuration for any particular atom, we can build the structures in the order of atomic numbers. Beginning with hydrogen, and ...

Coulomb's Law

Experiments with electric charges have shown that if two objects each have an electric charge, they exert an electric force on each other. The magnitude ...

Electric Charges

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Sources and Properties of Electric Charge

All objects we see around us consist of atoms, which combine to form molecules. The lightest element in the universe is hydrogen, and a hydrogen atom ...

Types of Forces

In most situations, forces can be grouped into two categories: contact forces and field forces.&#160; Contact forces occur as a result of direct physical ...

Electric Fields

Source: Yong P. Chen, PhD, Department of Physics &#38; Astronomy, College of Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
An electric field is generated ...

Intermolecular Forces

Atoms and molecules interact through bonds (or forces): intramolecular and intermolecular. The forces are electrostatic as they arise from interactions ...

Van der Waals Interactions

Atoms and molecules interact with each other through intermolecular forces. These electrostatic forces arise from attractive or repulsive interactions ...

Chemical Bonds


Atoms participate in a chemical bond formation&#160;to acquire a completed valence-shell electron configuration similar to that of the noble gas nearest ...

Electron Behavior

Electrons are negatively charged subatomic particles attracted to and orbit around the positively-charged nucleus of an atom. They reside in spaces ...

Subatomic Particles

Dalton was only partially correct about the particles that make up matter. All matter is composed of atoms, and atoms are composed of three smaller ...

Ions and Ionic Charges

In ordinary chemical reactions, the nucleus &mdash; which contains the protons and neutrons of each atom and thus identifies the element &mdash; remains ...

Use the periodic table as a model to predict the relative properties of elements based on the patterns of electrons in the outermost energy level and the composition of the nucleus of atoms.  Clarification Statement: Chemistry: Examples of properties that could be predicted from patterns could include reactivity of metals, types of bonds formed, numbers of bonds formed, atomic radius, atomic mass, or reactions with oxygen. Emphasis is on main group elements and qualitative understanding of the relative trends of ionization energy and electronegativity.

Properties of Transition Metals

Transition metals are defined as those elements that have partially filled d orbitals. As shown in Figure 1, the d-block elements in groups 3&#8211;12 are ...

The Atomic Theory of Matter

The earliest recorded discussion of the basic structure of matter comes from ancient Greek philosophers. Leucippus and Democritus argued that all matter ...

Chemical Reactions

A chemical reaction is a process by which the bonds in the atoms of substances are rearranged to generate new substances. Matter cannot be created or ...

Chemical Equations

Chemical equations represent the identities and relative quantities of substances involved in a chemical reaction. The substances undergoing reaction are ...

Introduction to Chemical Reactions

All chemical reactions begin with a reactant, the general term for one or more substances entering the reaction. Sodium and chloride ions, for example, ...

Temperature Dependence on Reaction Rate

The Collision Theory
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Stoichiometry, Product Yield, and Limiting Reactants

Source: Smaa Koraym at Johns Hopkins University, MD, USA

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Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter

The characteristics that enable us to distinguish one substance from another are called properties.

Physical Properties of Matter

A physical property is ...

Dynamic Equilibrium

A reversible chemical reaction represents a chemical process that proceeds in both forward (left to right) and reverse (right to left) directions. When ...

Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.  Clarification Statement: Chemistry: Examples of chemical reactions could include the reaction of sodium and chlorine, carbon and oxygen, or carbon and hydrogen. Reaction classification aids in the prediction of products (e.g. synthesis, decomposition, single displacement, double displacement, and acid-base).

Intermolecular vs Intramolecular Forces

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Comparison Between Electrical And Gravitational Forces

There are four fundamental forces in nature: the gravitational force, the electromagnetic force, the strong nuclear force, and the weak nuclear force. To ...

Intermolecular Forces and Physical Properties



Intermolecular forces are attractive forces that exist between molecules. They dictate several bulk properties, such as melting points, boiling points, ...

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Electric Field of Two Equal and Opposite Charges

Atoms generally contain the same number of positively and negatively charged particles, protons, and electrons. Hence, they are electrically neutral. ...

Electric Field

Consider two point charges, each exerting Coulomb force on the other. It is possible to describe the Coulomb interaction via an intermediate step by ...

Ionic Bonding and Electron Transfer

Ions are atoms or molecules bearing an electrical charge. A cation (a positive ion) forms when a neutral atom loses one or more electrons from its valence ...

Electric Dipoles and Dipole Moment

Consider two charges of equal magnitude but opposite signs. If they cannot be separated by an external electric field, the system is called a permanent ...

Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the macroscale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.  Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on understanding the strengths of forces between particles, not on naming specific intermolecular forces (such as dipole-dipole). Examples of particles could include ions, atoms, molecules, and network solids (such as graphite). Examples of macro-properties of substances could include the melting point and boiling point, vapor pressure, and surface tension.

HS-PS1-3

bond-dissociation-energy-and-activation-energy

Bond Dissociation Energy and Activation Energy

Bond energy is the energy required to break a bond homolytically. These values are usually expressed in units of kcal/mol or kJ/mol and are referred to as ...

Bond Energies and Bond Lengths

Stable molecules exist because covalent bonds hold the atoms together. The strength of a covalent bond is measured by the energy required to break it, ...

Coupled Reactions

Cellular processes such as building and breaking down complex molecules occur through stepwise chemical reactions. Some of these chemical reactions are ...

energy-diagrams-transition-states-and-intermediates

Energy Diagrams, Transition States, and Intermediates

Free-energy diagrams, or reaction coordinate diagrams, are graphs showing the energy changes that occur during a chemical reaction. The reaction ...

What is Metabolism?

Overview

Metabolism represents all of the chemical activity in a cell, including reactions that build molecules (anabolism) and those that break ...

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Types of Chemical Reactions: Anabolic and Catabolic

The first law of thermodynamics holds that energy can neither be created nor destroyed&#8212;it can only change form. An organism&#39;s essential function ...

Non-equilibrium in the Cell

An important concept in studying metabolism and energy is that of chemical equilibrium. Most chemical reactions are reversible. They can proceed in both ...

Activation Energy

Activation energy is the minimum amount of energy necessary for a chemical reaction to move forward. The higher the activation energy, the slower the rate ...

Energy Transfer in Chemical Reactions

Chemical reactions require sufficient energy to cause the matter to collide with enough precision and force that old chemical bonds can be broken and new ...

factors-influencing-the-rate-of-chemical-reactions

Factors Influencing the Rate of Chemical Reactions

A variety of factors influence the rate of chemical reactions. For a chemical reaction to happen, atoms must collide with enough energy to overcome the ...

Predicting Reaction Outcomes

Kinetics describes the rate and path by which a reaction occurs. In contrast, thermodynamics deals with state functions and describes the properties, ...

States of Matter and Phase Changes

The internal energy of a substance&#8212;the total kinetic energy of all its molecules and the potential energy of their associated forces&#8212;depends ...

Reaction Mechanisms

Chemical reactions often occur in a stepwise fashion, involving two or more distinct reactions taking place in a sequence. A balanced equation indicates ...

Develop a model to illustrate that the release or absorption of energy from a chemical reaction system depends upon the changes in total bond energy.  Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the idea that a chemical reaction is a system that affects the energy change.  Examples of models could include molecular-level drawings and diagrams of reactions, graphs showing the relative energies of reactants and products, and representations showing energy is conserved.

HS-PS1-4

How Electrons Fill Atomic Orbitals

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