how do you work out electron config? like the 1ps2ps thingos

thanx

Phoenix

I know how the electrons are arranged but I never understood the "1ps2ps" things. An answer to Ice's question would help me out too.

how do you work out electron config? like the 1ps2ps thingos

thanx

Phoenix

This isn't so bad.

First understand that the different groups correspond to different electron orbitals:

Groups 1 & 2 are the 'S' orbitals

Groups 3 thru 8 are the 'P' orbitals

Transition metals are the 'D' orbitals

the Lan & Act series are the 'F' orbitals (you really shouldn't concern yourself a lot with these)

 

Just look at where that element is that you want make an electron Configuration for using a periodic table.

http://www.dayah.com/periodic/

 

Take Aluminum for example. You see that its in the Group 3' date=' so its outer shell has 3 electrons. You see that its in the 3rd period.

So its Electron Config. would be [1s^2'][2s^2][2p^6][3s^2][3p^3]

 

I'm a horrible teacher, here's a better source:

http://www.ucdsb.on.ca/tiss/stretton/chem1/elecon7.html

I wrote a bit on electronic config at:

 

http://dragonslair.europe.webmatrixhosting.net/Science/Chemistry/Eleccon2.htm

 

It should help.

I find them confusing too. It takes me ages to work them out!

consider ALL of the Elements as one big / huge long string

 

each one having a little more than the last one in the way of electrons (it`s more complicated than that sure, but for a Chemist it`s mainly the electrons dealt with).

 

the periodic table, to fit on ONE peice of paper (and also make sense) has to fit on it!

 

and so... Groups are made that follow certain trends etc..

 

these groups are marked accordingly (although the S,D,P and F seem to be perfectly arbitrary blocks with regards to their names, but that`s the rules!)

 

you read a book from left to right.

you also do the same with the Periodic table

 

imagine `S` block as a paragraph and `D` block as another and `P` as yet another.

 

left to right, top to bottom. Just as you do in a book

 

 

there is a Difference though, unlike in a book, there`s no "MAP", a way to point out Which WORD in Which Sentence.

and so, using the blocks S,D,P and F that are in columns and the Groups that are in Rows, you have a "MAP"

 

I really hope this has helped rather than confused you!