Quantum Mechanical

Model of the Atom

Problem with Bohrs Model

Bohrs model of the atom could not
explain why the spectra of other
elements had too many lines. What
appeared to be a single line in a
spectrum was actually several lines
closely grouped together.

Modified Bohr Model

By breaking Bohrs energy levels into
sublevels, it was possible to explain
these spectra. Therefore, an energy
level is actually made up of many energy
states that are closely grouped together.
Bohrs levels were broken into the
following sublevels:

Sharp Principle Diffuse

Fundamental

Each sublevel holds a different

number of electrons
Sublevel

Maximum # of
Electrons

Pairs of Electrons

10

14

Orbitals
The space occupied by a pair of
electrons is called an orbital. Each
orbital can hold one pair of electrons.
Orbital describe regions in space
where is electron is more likely to be
found.

Sublevels
Principle
Quantum #

Allowed
Subleves

Number of
sublevels

Number of
orbitals

Number of
electrons

S, P

S, P, D

18

S, P, D, F

16

32

n2

2n2

Energy levels and multielectron atoms

To construct a model of an atom,
follow these two rules:
(1) Aufbau Principle Electrons always
enter orbitals of the lowest energy
first.
(2) There is a maximum number of
electrons for each energy level. The
number is given by 2n2 where n is the
principle quantum number.

Pauli Exclusion Principle

An atomic orbital may describe at
most two electrons. To occupy the
same orbitals, two electrons must
have opposite spins. Spin is a
quantum property of electrons and
may be clockwise (represented by an
upward pointing arrow ) or
counterclockwise (represented by a
downward pointing arrow ).

Hunds Rule
When electrons occupy orbitals of
equal energy, one electron enters
each orbital until all the orbitals
contain one electron with spins parallel
(either all the spins are clockwise or all
the spins are counterclockwise).
Second electrons then add to each
orbital so that their spins are paired
with the first electrons in the orbital.

Steps to Writing the Electron

Configuration of an Atom
Step 1
Get a Periodic Table of Elements
Find out how many electrons the
atom has. On the periodic table, the
atomic number is the number of
protons of the atom, and thus equals
the number of electrons in an atom
with zero charge.

Step 2: Mnemonic for Filling

Orbitals

Step 3
Put one electron into the highest energy
orbital available, starting with 1s (holds a
maximum of two electrons). Fill the orbitals in
this order (the number in superscript following the
sublevel is the maximum number of electrons it can
hold):
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s2 4f14 5d10
6p6 7s2 5f14 6d10
Note: Energy level changes as you go up. For example,
when you are about to go up to the 4th energy level, it
becomes 4s first, then 3d. After the fourth energy level,
you'll move onto the 5th where it follows the order once
again. This only happens after the 3rd energy level!

Step 4
Once you've put every electron into an
orbital (according to the order), write
the configuration as shown at the end
of step 3. Only write the orbitals that
contain electrons.
So, an uncharged antimony atom's electron
configuration would be 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6
4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p3. Notice that the
superscript number following 5p is 3. That's
because only three electrons are in the 5p
sublevel, so the sublevel is not completely
occupied (it lacks three more electrons).

Practice
Write the electron configuration for
the first 20 elements.
Write the electron configuration of
Br, Ag, Ba, Au, and U.

Energy Level Diagrams

The electron configuration of atoms can
also be shown in energy level diagrams.
In such diagrams, individual orbital are
represented by spheres, boxes, or lines.
Each orbital can hold a maximum of 2
electrons containing opposite spins. The
height of each orbital is representative of
its energy. The higher the orbital is in
the diagrams, the higher is its energy.

Example using spheres for

orbitals

Examples
I will use boxes to represent
individual orbitals. Examples
Hydrogen
Oxygen
Potassium

Practice
Draw the energy level diagram for
the following:
Lithium
Fluorine
Silver

Electron Orbital Shapes