Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Electron Configuration
Electron configuration describes the distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals. It follows the Aufbau principle, which states that electrons fill the lowest energy orbitals first, and is often represented using the notation of noble gas core followed by the valence electrons. For example, the electron configuration for Z = 56 (Barium) is [Xe] 6s², indicating that it has two electrons in the 6s orbital after the xenon core.
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Electron Configuration Example
Orbital Filling Diagrams
Orbital filling diagrams visually represent how electrons occupy atomic orbitals. Each orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons, which are depicted as arrows pointing up (↑) and down (↓) to indicate their spin. The Pauli exclusion principle states that no two electrons in an atom can have the same set of quantum numbers, which is why the arrows must be paired with opposite spins in each orbital.
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Molecular Orbital Diagram
Noble Gas Core
The noble gas core is a shorthand notation used in electron configurations to simplify the representation of inner-shell electrons. By using the symbol of the nearest noble gas preceding the element, we can focus on the valence electrons that are involved in chemical bonding. For instance, in the case of Z = 56, the noble gas xenon (Xe) is used to represent the filled inner orbitals, allowing for a more concise electron configuration.
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