Flashcard: Electron configurations

Front

What is an electron configuration?

Back

An electron configuration is the distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals, indicating how many electrons occupy each energy level and sublevel.

Front

What are sublevels in electron configurations?

Back

Sublevels are divisions of electron shells that contain orbitals, designated as s, p, d, and f, each with a specific shape and energy.

Front

Which sublevel has the highest energy: 2p, 2s, 3p, or 1s?

Back

3p has the highest energy among the given sublevels.

Front

What are ions?

Back

Ions are atoms that have gained or lost electrons, resulting in a net electrical charge.

Front

What is the electron configuration for a neutral zinc atom?

Back

The electron configuration for a neutral zinc atom is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰.

Front

How do you determine the number of valence electrons in an atom?

Back

The number of valence electrons can be determined from the highest energy level's electron configuration.

Front

What is the significance of the atomic orbital diagram?

Back

An atomic orbital diagram visually represents the arrangement of electrons in an atom's orbitals, helping to understand electron configurations.

Front

Which element has the electron configuration 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰?

Back

Zinc.

Front

What is the shape of the s orbital?

Back

The s orbital has a spherical shape.

Front

What is the shape of the p orbital?

Back

The p orbital has a dumbbell shape.