CHAPTER 3

ELECTRONS IN ATOMS
 LEARNING OUTCOMES
• At the end of the lesson the students should be able
to :
• Define the first and second ionisation energies.
• Explain the increase in the successive ionisation
energies of an element.
• Explain the variations in the first ionisation energy
i. across periods 2 and 3.
ii. down groups 1 and 2.
• Determination the electronic configuration of an
atom using successive ionization energies.
2
 ATOMIC STRUCTURE

nucleus electrons
 Atomic Orbital
Definition
An orbital is a three-dimensional region in space
around the nucleus where there is a high probability
of finding an electron.
 ORBITAL
• 1st orbit: 2nd orbit: consist s-type and p-type
orbital
• 3rd orbit: consist s-type, p-type and d-type
orbital.
• 4th orbit: consist s-type, p-type, d type and f –
type orbital.
 S ORBITAL
• Spherical shape with the nucleus
at the centre.

• The probability of finding

electrons at the distance r from
the nucleus is the same from all
direction.

• As n increases s orbital gets larger

 P ORBITAL
• Dumbbell shaped

• Three p-orbitals px, py, and pz

• As n increases, the p-orbitals get larger.

• All p-orbitals have a node at the nucleus.

P ORBITAL
 ELECTRONIC
CONFIGURATION
OF ATOM
 ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATION

The distribution of electrons in orbitals in an

atom
ELECTRONIC CONFIGURATION

1. spdf notation

2. orbital diagram
 spdf notation
no of electrons
in orbital
1s2 2s2 2p3

Type of orbital

Energy level, n
 ORBITAL DIAGRAM
• A diagram showing the arrangement of electrons of
its orbital.
• An orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons,
one with a spin in clockwise direction and one in
the counter-clockwise direction.

1s 2s 2p
 Exercise
• Write the orbital diagram for the following:
• Na atom
• Na+ ion
• O atom
• O2- ions
• Ti atom
• Ti2+ ions
 EXAMPLE

Helium has 2 electrons.

Electronic configuration for He is

1s2 or NOT
or
1s 1s 1s
 Electron configuration: Copper and
Chromium
• Chromium is [Ar] 3d54s1 not [Ar] 3d44s2
Atom is more stable if it has a half-filled
3d-orbital and single electrons in 4s-
orbital.

• Copper is [Ar] 3d104s1 not [Ar] 3d94s2

Atom is more stable if it has a full-filled 3d-
orbital and single electrons in 4s-orbital.
 EXERCISE
1. State the number of orbitals in the third shell of an
atom.

2. Place the orbitals 4s,4p,5s,5p,5d,6s in order of

increasing energy levels.

3. Complete the electron configurations of atoms of

the following element.

4. Write the full electronic configuration of an excited

sodium atom.
 Ionization Energies (IE)
The first ionization energy
• the energy required to remove one mole of electron from the
outermost orbital in one mole of neutral gaseous atom:
X (g)  X+ (g) + e- ∆H = first ionization energy

The second ionization energy

• The energy required to remove one mole of electron from
one mole of positive ion in gaseous state:
X+ (g)  X2+ (g) + e- ∆H = second ionization energy

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Factors Affecting the Ionization Energy
• Distance from the nucleus
– Attraction falls rapidly with distance, An electrons
close to the nucleus will be much more strongly
attracted than one further away.

• Nuclear charge
– The more protons there are in the nucleus, the
more positively charge the nucleus is and the
stronger the attraction for the electrons.

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Factors Affecting the Ionization Energy
• Shielding effect ( screening effect )
– As the number of electrons between the outer
electrons and the nucleus and the nucleus
increase, the outer electron feel less attraction
toward the nuclear charge. This lessening of the
pull of the nucleus by inner shell of electrons is
called shielding effect.

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 Variation in the
First Ionization Energy
a) Ionization Energy Across a Period
• There is a gradual overall increase in IE as we move
across a period, although the variation is irregular.

• The reason for the overall trend is the increase in

effective nuclear charge felt by the electrons.

• This draws the electrons closer to the nucleus and

causes the valence electrons to be held more tightly,
which making it more difficult to remove them.
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 Variation of first IE (kJ/mol) across
period 2 :
• In general, IE increases from left to right.

1 2 13 14 15 16 17 18
Group

Elements Li Be B C N O F Ne
IE 520 900 801 1086 1402 1314 1681 2081

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 Variation in the
First Ionization Energy
Anomalous cases
• Between group 2 and 13. Ionization energy of Be > B
• Electronic configuration of
• Be : 1s2 2s2 ( completely filled orbital)
• B : 1s2 2s2 2p1 ( partially filled orbital)
• Completely filled orbital is more stable than partially filled
orbital
• More energy is needed to remove the electron.
• Therefore ionization energy of Be is higher.

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 Variation of first IE (kJ/mol)
• Ionization energy of N > O

• Electronic configuration of
– N : 1s2 2s2 2p3 ( half filled orbital)
– O : 1s2 2s2 2p4 ( partially filled orbital)

• Half filled orbital is MORE STABLE than partially filled

orbital

• More energy is needed to remove the electron.

• Therefore ionization energy of N is higher.

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First Ionization Energy

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 Variation in the
First Ionization Energy
b) Ionization Energy Down Within Group
• Going down the group, the shielding effect and distance from
the nucleus increase

• The outer electrons are farther from the nucleus and held less
tightly by the nucleus

• So, less energy is needed to remove their first electron

• Therefore IE decreases.

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Determination the electronic configuration of
an atom using successive ionization energies
• In general, successive ionization energies always
increase because each subsequent electron is
being pulled away from an increasingly more
positive ion, and that requires more work.

• A large increase in successive ionization energies

occurs between the removal of the last valence
electron and the removal of the first core
electron.

• Succesive ionisation energies show shell

structure.
Succesive Ionization Energies of Elements (kJ mol-1)