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The form of the periodic table is closely related to the atomic electron configuration for each element. For example, all the elements of group 2 (the table's second column) have an electron configuration of [E] n s 2 (where [E] is a noble gas configuration), and have notable similarities in their chemical properties.
Here [Ne] refers to the core electrons which are the same as for the element neon (Ne), the last noble gas before phosphorus in the periodic table. The valence electrons (here 3s 2 3p 3) are written explicitly for all atoms. Electron configurations of elements beyond hassium (element 108) have never been measured; predictions are used below.
In many cases, multiple configurations are within a small range of energies and the small irregularities that arise in the d- and f-blocks are quite irrelevant chemically. [1] The construction of the periodic table ignores these irregularities and is based on ideal electron configurations. [2]
For example, the neon atom ground state has a full n = 2 shell (2s 2 2p 6) and an empty n = 3 shell. According to the octet rule, the atoms immediately before and after neon in the periodic table (i.e. C, N, O, F, Na, Mg and Al), tend to attain a similar configuration by gaining, losing, or sharing electrons.
Elements are placed in the periodic table according to their electron configurations, [38] the periodic recurrences of which explain the trends in properties across the periodic table. [ 39 ] An electron can be thought of as inhabiting an atomic orbital , which characterizes the probability it can be found in any particular region around the atom.
For example, in copper 29 Cu, according to the Madelung rule, the 4s subshell (n + l = 4 + 0 = 4) is occupied before the 3d subshell (n + l = 3 + 2 = 5). The rule then predicts the electron configuration 1s 2 2s 2 2p 6 3s 2 3p 6 3d 9 4s 2, abbreviated [Ar] 3d 9 4s 2 where [Ar] denotes the configuration of argon, the preceding noble gas.
As an example, consider the ground state of silicon.The electron configuration of Si is 1s 2 2s 2 2p 6 3s 2 3p 2 (see spectroscopic notation).We need to consider only the outer 3p 2 electrons, for which it can be shown (see term symbols) that the possible terms allowed by the Pauli exclusion principle are 1 D , 3 P , and 1 S.
Like other groups of the periodic table, the members of group 12 show patterns in its electron configuration, especially the outermost shells, which result in trends in their chemical behavior: Z Element