Electron Configuration and Atomic Structure

Flashcards covering the foundational concepts of electron configurations, atomic orbitals, chemical principles (Aufbau, Pauli, Hund), and magnetic properties based on the lecture notes.

Integrity

Choosing your thoughts and actions based on values rather than personal gain.

Electron Configuration

The ways in which electrons are arranged in various orbitals around the nuclei of atoms; the modern description of the electronic structure of an atom.

Quantized

A property representing that the energy of electrons is restricted to specific values.

Shells

Also known as principal energy levels, these are regions where electrons surround a nucleus.

Subshells

Divisions of shells identified by the letters $s, p, d, f$, consisting of orbitals.

Orbitals

The region in the shell where electrons are found; each orbital can hold up to $2$ electrons.

Electron pair

Two electrons that occupy the same orbital.

$s$ subshell

A subshell that consists of $1$ orbital and can hold a maximum of $2$ electrons.

$p$ subshell

A subshell that consists of $3$ orbitals and can hold a maximum of $6$ electrons.

$d$ subshell

A subshell that consists of $5$ orbitals and can hold a maximum of $10$ electrons.

$f$ subshell

A subshell that consists of $7$ orbitals and can hold a maximum of $14$ electrons.

Pauli exclusion principle

States that no two electrons can have the same set of quantum numbers, implying that no two electrons can have the same electron configuration.

Hund’s Rule

States that each electron will first fill all orbitals with the same energy (degenerate orbitals) before pairing with another electron.

Aufbau principle

Derived from the German word "aufbauen" (to build), it states that electron configurations are written such that orbitals are built up from atom to atom.

Orbital diagram

A representation of electron configuration showing each separate orbital and the spins of the electrons.

spdf notation

The most common way of writing electron configurations where the total number of electrons in each energy level is indicated by a superscript.

Noble gas notation

A simplified method of writing electron configurations using noble gases (inert gases), which have the most stable electron configurations.

Magnetism

A physical phenomenon produced by the motion of electric charges, resulting in attraction or repulsion depending on the force between atoms.

Paramagnetism

The magnetic state of an atom with one or more unpaired electrons, allowing the atom to be attracted to magnetic fields.

Diamagnetism

The magnetic state where an atom has no unpaired electrons, resulting in no magnetic field and causing a weak repulsion.