Electron Configuration

Flashcards covering key concepts of electron configuration, including principles, definitions, and examples.

Electron Configuration

The arrangement of electrons in energy levels around an atomic nucleus.

Aufbau Principle

States that the lowest energy orbitals are filled first before higher energy orbitals are occupied.

Pauli Exclusion Principle

No more than two electrons can occupy the same orbital, and they must have opposite spins.

Hund’s Rule

Electrons occupy orbitals of equal energy singly with parallel spins before pairing up.

Paramagnetic

A state of an atom with unpaired electrons, which is attracted to a magnetic field.

Diamagnetic

A state of an atom with all electrons paired, which is not attracted to a magnetic field.

Orbital

Regions in an atom where there is a high probability of finding electrons.

Energy Levels

The fixed distances from the nucleus of an atom where electrons can be found.

Sublevel

Divisions of energy levels that can hold a specific number of electrons (s, p, d, f).

Quantum Number

A number that specifies the properties of atomic orbitals and the electrons in them.