1. What is Electron Configuration?

Electron configuration describes the distribution of electrons in an atom's electron shells and subshells. The ground state configuration represents the lowest energy arrangement of electrons.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator determines the electron configuration by filling orbitals according to the Aufbau principle, Pauli exclusion principle, and Hund's rule:

Where:

• Numbers (1,2,3) represent principal energy levels
• Letters (s,p,d,f) represent subshells
• Superscripts represent number of electrons in each subshell

3. Importance of Electron Configuration

Details: Electron configuration determines an element's chemical properties, reactivity, and position in the periodic table. It helps predict bonding behavior and chemical reactions.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Simply enter the atomic number (1-118) of the element you want to analyze. The calculator will display the ground state electron configuration.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the Aufbau principle?
A: Electrons occupy the lowest energy orbitals available first.

Q2: What are the exceptions to the standard configuration?
A: Some elements like Cr and Cu have exceptions due to increased stability of half-filled or filled d subshells.

Q3: How does electron configuration relate to the periodic table?
A: The periodic table is organized by electron configuration, with groups having similar valence electron configurations.

Q4: What's the difference between ground state and excited state?
A: Ground state is the lowest energy configuration, while excited state has electrons in higher energy orbitals.

Q5: How are ions' electron configurations different?
A: Ions have gained or lost electrons, so their configuration differs from the neutral atom.