Consider the noble gas xenon. (a) Write the electron configuration of xenon using the abbreviation of the previous noble gas.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the previous noble gas to xenon in the periodic table. This will be used as the starting point for the electron configuration abbreviation.
2. Write the symbol of the previous noble gas in square brackets. This symbol represents the electron configuration of that noble gas.
3. Determine the number of electrons that need to be added to the previous noble gas to reach the atomic number of xenon.
4. Add the additional electron orbitals in the order of their energy levels, starting from the lowest available energy orbital after the noble gas configuration.
5. Ensure the electron configuration follows the order of orbital filling: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, etc., filling each sublevel according to the number of electrons needed to reach xenon's electron configuration.

Key Concepts

Electron Configuration

Electron configuration describes the distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals. It is represented by a series of numbers and letters that indicate the energy levels and sublevels occupied by electrons. Understanding electron configuration is essential for predicting an element's chemical behavior and reactivity.

Noble Gases

Noble gases are a group of elements in Group 18 of the periodic table, known for their lack of reactivity due to having a full valence shell of electrons. The noble gas preceding xenon is krypton, which has an electron configuration that can be used as a shorthand to simplify the representation of xenon's configuration.

Abbreviated Electron Configuration

Abbreviated electron configuration uses the electron configuration of the nearest preceding noble gas to simplify the notation for larger atoms. For xenon, this means starting with the configuration of krypton and then adding the additional electrons in xenon's outer shells, making it easier to write and understand.