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Ch.8 - Periodic Properties of the Elements
Chapter 8, Problem 43

Write the full orbital diagram for each element. a. N b. F c. Mg d. Al

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1. The orbital diagram of an atom represents the arrangement of electrons in the atom. The first step is to determine the number of electrons in the atom. This is equal to the atomic number of the element. For example, Nitrogen (N) has 7 electrons, Fluorine (F) has 9, Magnesium (Mg) has 12, and Aluminum (Al) has 13.
2. The next step is to fill the orbitals following the Aufbau principle, which states that electrons occupy the lowest energy orbital available. The order of filling is 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, and so on.
3. For Nitrogen (N), the first two electrons will fill the 1s orbital. The next two electrons will fill the 2s orbital. The remaining three electrons will half-fill the 2p orbital. So, the orbital diagram for Nitrogen (N) will be 1s² 2s² 2p³.
4. For Fluorine (F), the first two electrons will fill the 1s orbital. The next two electrons will fill the 2s orbital. The remaining five electrons will fill the 2p orbital. So, the orbital diagram for Fluorine (F) will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁵.
5. For Magnesium (Mg), the first two electrons will fill the 1s orbital. The next two electrons will fill the 2s orbital. The next six electrons will fill the 2p orbital. The remaining two electrons will fill the 3s orbital. So, the orbital diagram for Magnesium (Mg) will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s².
6. For Aluminum (Al), the first two electrons will fill the 1s orbital. The next two electrons will fill the 2s orbital. The next six electrons will fill the 2p orbital. The next two electrons will fill the 3s orbital. The remaining one electron will half-fill the 3p orbital. So, the orbital diagram for Aluminum (Al) will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p¹.

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Key Concepts

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 orbitals starting from the lowest energy level to the highest. Understanding electron configuration is essential for determining the chemical properties and reactivity of elements.
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Orbital Diagrams

Orbital diagrams visually represent the arrangement of electrons in an atom's orbitals. Each orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons with opposite spins, and the diagram uses arrows to indicate the presence of electrons. This representation helps in understanding electron pairing and the overall electron distribution in an atom.
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Periodic Table Trends

The periodic table organizes elements based on their atomic number and electron configuration, revealing trends in properties such as electronegativity, ionization energy, and atomic radius. Elements in the same group have similar valence electron configurations, which influence their chemical behavior. Recognizing these trends aids in predicting the electron configurations and orbital diagrams of elements.
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