Electron Configurations and the Properties of Atoms

electron spin

The negatively charged electron spinning on an axis

spin states

One of the two possible orientations of the magnetic field generated by a spinning electron

spin quantum number, ms

The quantum number that describes the spin state of an electron

Paramagnetic

The physical property of being attracted by a magnetic field (Weak Magnetism)

diamagnetic

The physical property of being repelled by a magnetic field,weak force that pushes them away from the magnetic source,(weak)

Ferromagnetic

A form of paramagnetism, seen in some metals and their alloys, in which the magnetic effect is greatly enhanced (Strong Magnetism)

electron configuration

A representation of how electrons are distributed in orbitals for an atom or ion

Pauli exclusion principle

No two electrons in an atom can have the same set of four quantum numbers

ground state

The state of an atom in which all electrons are in the lowest possible energy levels

spdf notation

A notation for the electron configuration of an atom in which the number of electrons assigned to a subshell is shown as a superscript after the subshell’s symbol

Orbital box notation

A representation of the electron configuration in an atom or ion that uses boxes or horizontal lines to represent orbitals and arrows to represent electrons

noble gas notation

An abbreviated form of spdf notation that replaces the completed electron shells with the symbol of the corresponding noble gas in brackets

Hund’s rule of maximum multiplicity

The most stable arrangement of electrons is that with the maximum number of unpaired electrons, all with the same spin direction

core electrons

The electrons in an atom’s completed set of shells

effective nuclear charge

The nuclear charge experienced by an electron in a multielectron atom, as modified by the other electrons

valence electrons

The outermost and most reactive electrons of an atom

covalent radius

The distance between the nuclei of two atoms of an element when they are held together by a single bond

metallic radius

The distance between the nuclei of two atoms in a metallic crystal

Ionization energy

The energy change required to remove an electron from an atom or ion in the gas phase

pin state

One of the two possible orientations of the magnetic field generated by a spinning electrons

Electron affinity

The energy change occurring when an atom of the element in the gas phase gains an electron