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Atomic Orbitals

A series of free High School Chemistry Video Lessons from Brightstorm.

Atomic Orbitals
Atomic orbitals are regions of space in which electrons can be found. Each orbital can fit two electrons and different orbitals have different shapes. The s sub-level has one spherically shaped orbital, while the p sub-level has three dumbbell shaped orbitals. The arrangement of electrons in orbitals can be depicted using either orbitals diagrams or electron configuration notation.

Orbital Diagrams
Orbital diagrams are pictorial descriptions of the electrons in an atom. Three rules are useful in forming orbital diagrams. According to the Auf Bau Principle, each electron occupies the lowest energy orbital. The Pauli Exclusion Principle says that only two electrons can fit into an single orbital. Hund’s rule states that electrons go into different orbitals in the same sub-level before doubling up inside orbitals.

Electron Configuration
Electron configuration is shorthand for the arrangement of electrons in atomic orbitals. It is written out, as opposed to orbital diagrams which are depicted pictorially. For elements with many electrons, noble gas configuration is a useful way to abbreviate the electron configuration.

Errata: The Electron Configuration for Cl should be [Ne]3s²3p⁵

Exception to Electron Configuration
There are two main exceptions to electron configuration: chromium and copper. In these cases, a completely full or half full d sub-level is more stable than a partially filled d sub-level, so an electron from the 4s orbital is excited and rises to a 3d orbital.

Valence Electrons
Valence electrons are the outer electrons that are involved in bonding. Only electrons in the s and p orbitals are valance electrons, so a given atom can have between 0 and 7 valance electrons. Atoms with 0 valence electrons are called noble gases and don’t like form bonds. An atom’s valence electrons can be depicted pictorially using Lewis Dot Diagrams.

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