1. What is Electron Configuration?

Electron configuration describes the distribution of electrons in an atom's atomic orbitals. It follows quantum mechanical principles and helps explain an element's chemical properties and reactivity.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Aufbau principle to determine electron configuration:

Where:

• s orbitals — hold up to 2 electrons
• p orbitals — hold up to 6 electrons
• d orbitals — hold up to 10 electrons
• f orbitals — hold up to 14 electrons

Explanation: The calculator fills orbitals in order until all electrons are accounted for, following Pauli's exclusion principle and Hund's rule.

3. Importance of Electron Configuration

Details: Electron configuration determines an element's chemical properties, including valence electrons, oxidation states, and chemical bonding behavior.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the atomic number (1-118) of the element you want to analyze. The calculator will display the ground state electron configuration.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What are the exceptions to the Aufbau principle?
A: Some elements like Cr and Cu have exceptions due to electron-electron interactions that make half-filled or fully-filled subshells more stable.

Q2: How does electron configuration relate to the periodic table?
A: The periodic table is organized by electron configuration - elements in the same group have similar valence electron configurations.

Q3: What is the difference between ground state and excited state configurations?
A: Ground state is the lowest energy configuration, while excited states have electrons promoted to higher energy orbitals.

Q4: How do I write noble gas notation?
A: Replace the beginning of the configuration with the previous noble gas in brackets (e.g., [Ne] for sodium's 3s¹ electron).

Q5: Why do d orbitals fill after s orbitals of the next level?
A: Due to the energy ordering - for example, 4s fills before 3d because it has slightly lower energy for most elements.