Electron Configuration

Electron Configuration Describes The Arrangement Of Electrons In An Atom. It Is Composed Of Subshells, Which Correspond To Energy Levels Of The Atom. The Lowest Energy Level, Or Shells, Is Closest To The Nucleus And Is Filled First With Electrons. As More Electrons Are Added, They Take Up Positions In Higher Energy Shells And The Electron Configuration Of The Atom Is Determined. Each Element Has A Specific Electron Configuration That Is Determined By The Number Of Protons In Its Nucleus. The Number Of Electrons In The Atom Is Always Equal To The Number Of Protons, So Protons Dictate The Number Of Electrons And Therefore The Electron Configuration. The Energy Of An Electron Is Determined By Its Orbital, Or Shell. The Shells Are Labeled With Principal Quantum Numbers 1 Through 10, Each Of Which Is Associated With A Different Energy Level. Each Shell Can Contain A Maximum Of Two Electrons, Which Must Have Opposing Spins. In Addition To Shells, Electrons Are Also Assigned To Subshells. This Allows The Atom To Be Further Divided By Energy. The Subshells Are Labeled S, P, D, And F And Each Can Contain A Specific Number Of Electrons. The Electron Configuration Of An Atom Can Be Written In Two Ways: Using The Orbital Notation Or The Noble Gas Notation. The Orbital Notation Lists All Electrons Distributed In Each Subshell, Where Each Electron Is Indicated By A Superscript. The Noble Gas Notation Is Simpler And Lists Only The Element Symbol And The Noble Gas That Preceded It On The Periodic Table. This Notation Assumes That All Lower Energy Levels Are Filled With Electrons. In Addition To Representing An Atom In Its Ground State, Electron Configuration Also Shows The Excited State Of An Atom When An Electron Absorbs Energy And Transitions To A Higher Energy Level. This Is Important In Understanding Many Chemical Processes. Electron Configuration Is A Key Concept In Chemistry And Is Used To Explain The Structure And Properties Of Atoms And Their Interactions.