C2.2.2 Electronic structures

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering basic electronic structure concepts and periodic table terminology from the OCR Gateway GCSE Chemistry curriculum.

Period

A horizontal row within the Periodic Table.

Group

A vertical column within the Periodic Table.

Electronic structure

A description of how the electrons are arranged in the shells of an element's atoms.

Outer shell

The outermost occupied shell in an atom.

Shells

The structures around the nucleus where electrons are arranged, corresponding to different energy levels.

Maximum electrons in the first shell

$$2$$

Maximum electrons in the second shell

$$8$$

Maximum electrons in the third shell

$$8$$

Maximum electrons in the fourth shell

$$18$$

Atomic number

A value that increases by $1$ across a period from left to right, indicating the total number of electrons in each atom of an element.

Lithium electronic structure

Represented as $2.1$, signifying $2$ electrons in the first shell and $1$ in the second shell.

Livermorium ($Lv$)

A metallic element discovered at the start of this century that contains $116$ electrons in each atom.