Question

please help with electron configurations

Answer 1

electron configurations seem difficult, but it is quite simple.

so to start off you need to know the orders. You can also get extra help from youtube

for example

so your sublevels are

s: holds 2 electrons (max)
p: holds 6 electrons (max)
d: 10 electrons (max)
f:14 electrons (max)


look at the attachment. You want to arrange your configurations like that. Read it diagonally (wherever the line strikes through) and write it the same way. So it would be read like this
1s
2s
2p 3s
3p 4s
3d 4p 5s
4d 5p 6s
5s 5p 5d 5f
and so on.

Now let me give you an example: we are going to find the electron config for iron. Iron(Fe) has 26 as the atomic #. So how would you start? well 1s holds a max of 2 e-
so you will put 1s2
2s holds 2 electrons so it is also 2s2
2p holds max of 6 electrons so it would be 2p6
and so on
you want everything to add up to 26 so let's solve for Fe.

1s2
2s2
2p6 3s2
3p6 4s2
3d6


remember they all have maxes. D for example can hold a maximum of 10, but it can hold anything under than 10..you see that the last line is 3d6, because d hasn't reached it's maximum number. You cannot put 3d11 or 3d20 but you can put 3d9, 3d4 etc. When you count it up it equals your atomic number which is 26. 2+2+6+2+6+2+6=26 (You can always check your work this way. If it doesn't add up to the atomic number you are doing something wrong.)

If you still don't get it let me know & I will try to make it more simple. Good luck

Answer 2

thank you)