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The electron configuration theory, proposed by Uhlig, is an extension of the adsorption theory of passivity and is a branch of theoretical physics. Uhlig discovered that when a transition metal is alloyed with a second metal, a number of transition metals become passive at certain critical compositions. A passive binary alloy, according to Uhlig’s hypothesis, would have an electron configuration that was as close as possible to that of an inert noble gas atom. The electron configuration theory is frequently criticized for failing to take into account the properties of the oxide film, which is a valid point of contention.
What are Electron Configurations, and how do they work
Atomic orbitals of an element are described by their electron configuration, which describes how electrons are distributed in the atomic orbitals of that element. When it comes to atoms, electron configurations are represented by a standard notation in which all electron-containing atomic subshells (with the number of electrons they contain written in superscript) are organized in a sequence. As an illustration, the electro
Notation
Subshell labels are used to represent the electron configuration of an atom in a written format.
These labels include the shell number (which is determined by the principal quantum number), the subshell name (which is determined by the azimuthal quantum number), and the total number of electrons in the subshell (which is indicated by the superscript).
In the case of two electrons being filled in the” subshell of the first shell, the resulting notation is ‘1s2’, which stands for one electron in the second shell.
In order to write the electron configuration of magnesium (atomic number 12) in terms of subshell labels, the following formula can be used: 1s² 2s² 2p6 3s².
The Pauli Exclusion Principle is a principle that prohibits the inclusion of certain individuals or groups from participating in a given activity.
According to the Pauli exclusion principle, an orbital can only contain a maximum of two electrons, each with an opposite spin to the other.
According to another formulation, “no two electrons in the same atom have values for all four quantum numbers that are the same as each other.”
Consequently, if the principal, azimuthal, and magnetic numbers of two electrons are the same for both of them, they must have opposite spins.
What Exactly are Electron Configurations, and Why should we care about them
As you are aware, protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus of an atom. Because the nucleus is located in the center of an atom, protons and neutrons are easy to locate within the nucleus.
The fact that electrons are not found in the nucleus means that they can literally be found anywhere because the nucleus only occupies a small portion of what appears to be a vast amount of space to cover in the first place. As a result, locating an electron can be extremely difficult. Looking for a needle in a haystack is analogous to this endeavor. What is it about finding electrons that we are so interested in? Because electrons are the most valuable players in the game of chemistry. In a nutshell, they are responsible for the ability of atoms to interact with one another.
It is possible to find electrons in orbitals, a region of space surrounding the nucleus where there is a high probability (90 percent) of finding an electron. Orbitals are not a specific location, but rather a region that includes that specific location.
An electron shell, also known as an energy level, is a collection of orbitals that are all located within a given probable distance from the nucleus. Each shell contains one or more subshells that are contained within it. Each subshell contains one or more orbitals, depending on its size. Each orbital can hold a total of two electrons.
The periodic table is made up of elements that are all composed of multi-electron atoms (except hydrogen of course). The configuration of electrons tells us how these electrons are distributed among the various atomic orbitals in which they exist. They always appear on general chemistry exams, no matter how hard you study.
Conclusion
In this tutorial, you will learn how to use the periodic table to find and write the electron configuration and orbital diagram for various elements. The Aufbau’s principle, the Hund’s rule, and the Pauli exclusion principle will all be covered in detail. If you enjoyed this tutorial, be sure to check out our other tutorials, which are listed below!
