NOCKHARDY

ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATIONS
K NOTES
A LEVEL CHEMISTRY
ATOMIC STRUCTURE • electrons exist in different energy levels ( n = 1,2,3,4 etc. )
• energy levels can be split into sub levels
AT A GL ANC E • each level contains orbitals (s, p, d, or f)
• each orbital can hold up to 2 electrons

Principal Number of Type of Number of Total number

ATOMS Particle Mass Charge Position level (n) sub-levels Orbital Orbitals of Electrons
Proton 1 +1 nucleus
Neutron 1 0 nucleus n=1 1 1s 1 2 = 2
Electron 1/1836 -1 outside nucleus n=2 2 2s 1 2
2p 3 6 = 8
n=3 3 3s 1 2
3p 3 6
ISOTOPES same atomic number (Z) and Mass number 3d 5 10 = 18
different mass number (A) (protons + neutrons)
23 n=4 4 4s 1 2
4p 3 6
or same protons and Na
different neutrons. 11 4d 5 10
Atomic number
(protons)
4f 7 14 = 32

Filling energy levels

MASS SPECTROMETER Rules Electrons enter the lowest energy orbital available.

20 Orbitals can hold a max. of 2 electrons provided they have opposite spin.
Ne
ANALYSER
21
Ne
ION SOURCE 22
Orbitals of the same energy remain singly occupied before pairing up.
Ne
This is due to the repulsion between electron pairs.
DETECTOR
Order Orbitals are not filled in numerical order (e.g. 4s is filled before 3d) due to
principal energy levels getting closer together further from the nucleus.

• Gaseous atoms undergo ionisation by electron bombardment 4f 4f

4d 4d 1s FILLING
• Charged particles can be accelerated by an electric field 4 4 ORDER
4p 4p 2s 2p
• Charged particles will be deflected by a magnetic or electric field 3d
4s 4s
The radius of the path depends on mass/charge ratio (m/z) 3 3p 3s 3p 3d
3d INCREASING
ENERGY
3s
Heavier ions with larger m/z values are deflected less 3 3p 4s 4p 4d 4f
2p
If an ion acquires a 2+ charge it will be deflected more. 3s 2
2s 5s 5p 5d 5f
2p
• Ions detected by electric or photographic methods 2 6s 6p 6d
2s NOT TO SCALE

Mass spectra can also be used to find relative molecular mass 1 1s 1 1s

7s
© J. L. HOPTON 1997