Electron Configuration interactive worksheet - Free Printable
Educational worksheet: Electron Configuration interactive worksheet. Download and print for classroom or home learning activities.
JPG
1000×1291
145.3 KB
Free · Personal Use
Quality Assured by Worksheets Library Team
Reviewed for educational accuracy and age-appropriateness
ID: #1453481
⭐
Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Electron Configuration interactive worksheet
▼
Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Electron Configuration interactive worksheet
Here's the complete solution to the Electron Configuration Practice worksheet, with explanations for each part.
---
## A. For each element: identify the number of electrons, fill in the electron diagram, and write the electron configuration
*(Note: Since I can't draw arrows in boxes here, I’ll describe how to fill them using ↑ and ↓ notation. In practice, you’d draw ↑ for up-spin and ↓ for down-spin in each orbital box.)*
---
- Atomic number = 7 → Number of electrons: 7
- Electron configuration: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^3`
- Orbital filling (↑↓ notation):
- 1s: ↑↓
- 2s: ↑↓
- 2p: ↑ ↑ ↑ (each p orbital gets one electron — Hund’s Rule)
- *Explanation:* Nitrogen has 7 electrons. After filling 1s² and 2s², the remaining 3 go into separate 2p orbitals with parallel spins.
---
- Atomic number = 14 → Number of electrons: 14
- Electron configuration: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^2`
- Orbital filling:
- 1s: ↑↓
- 2s: ↑↓
- 2p: ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓
- 3s: ↑↓
- 3p: ↑ ↑ _ (two electrons in separate p orbitals)
- *Explanation:* Follows Aufbau principle. After argon core (1s²2s²2p⁶), add 3s² then 3p².
---
- Atomic number = 10 → Number of electrons: 10
- Electron configuration: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6`
- Orbital filling:
- 1s: ↑↓
- 2s: ↑↓
- 2p: ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓
- *Explanation:* Noble gas with full second shell. All orbitals filled.
---
- Atomic number = 29 → Number of electrons: 29
- Electron configuration: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^1 3d^10` *(Exception to Aufbau!)*
- Orbital filling:
- 1s–3p: all filled normally (like Argon + 4s¹3d¹⁰)
- 4s: ↑
- 3d: ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ (all 5 d orbitals filled — stable half/full subshell)
- *Explanation:* Cu prefers a full 3d¹⁰ and half-filled 4s¹ for extra stability.
---
- Atomic number = 40 → Number of electrons: 40
- Electron configuration: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6 5s^2 4d^2`
- Orbital filling:
- Core up to Kr (36 electrons): `1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁶4s²3d¹⁰4p⁶`
- Then: 5s² ↑↓, 4d² ↑ ↑ (in separate orbitals)
- *Explanation:* After krypton core, next electrons go into 5s then 4d. Zr is [Kr]5s²4d².
---
## B. Write the symbol of the element with the following ground state electron configurations
*(Add up superscripts to get total electrons = atomic number → find element)*
---
- Total e⁻ = 2 + 2 = 4 → Beryllium (Be)
---
- Total e⁻ = 2+2+6+2+6+2+2 = 22 → Titanium (Ti)
---
- Total e⁻ = 2+2+6+2+6+2+10+4 = 34 → Selenium (Se)
---
- Total e⁻ = 2+2+6+2+6+2+10+6+1 = 37 → Rubidium (Rb)
---
- Total e⁻ = 2+2+6+2+6+2+10+6+2+10+6+2+9 = 79 → Gold (Au)
- *Note:* This is an exception — Au is actually [Xe]4f¹⁴5d¹⁰6s¹, but based on given config, it’s 79 e⁻ → Au.
---
## C. Write the ground state electron configuration for the following
*(Use periodic table or Aufbau order)*
---
- Configuration: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^6`
- Or: `[Ar] 4s^2 3d^6`
---
- Configuration: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^4`
- Or: `[Ne] 3s^2 3p^4`
---
- Configuration: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6`
- Or: `[Ar] 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6`
---
## D. Use shorthand (noble gas) notation
*(Replace core electrons with noble gas symbol in brackets)*
---
- Full: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^5`
- Shorthand: `[Ne] 3s^2 3p^5`
---
- Full: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6 5s^2 4d^10 5p^3`
- Shorthand: `[Kr] 5s^2 4d^10 5p^3`
---
- Full: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6 5s^2 4d^10 5p^6 6s^2 5d^1`
- Shorthand: `[Xe] 6s^2 5d^1`
---
## ✔ Final Answer Summary:
---
1. Nitrogen: 7 e⁻, `1s^2 2s^2 2p^3`
2. Silicon: 14 e⁻, `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^2`
3. Neon: 10 e⁻, `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6`
4. Copper: 29 e⁻, `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^1 3d^10`
5. Zirconium: 40 e⁻, `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6 5s^2 4d^2`
---
6. Be
7. Ti
8. Se
9. Rb
10. Au
---
11. `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^6`
12. `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^4`
13. `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6`
---
14. `[Ne] 3s^2 3p^5`
15. `[Kr] 5s^2 4d^10 5p^3`
16. `[Xe] 6s^2 5d^1`
---
Let me know if you’d like help drawing the orbital diagrams visually!
---
## A. For each element: identify the number of electrons, fill in the electron diagram, and write the electron configuration
*(Note: Since I can't draw arrows in boxes here, I’ll describe how to fill them using ↑ and ↓ notation. In practice, you’d draw ↑ for up-spin and ↓ for down-spin in each orbital box.)*
---
1. Nitrogen (N)
- Atomic number = 7 → Number of electrons: 7
- Electron configuration: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^3`
- Orbital filling (↑↓ notation):
- 1s: ↑↓
- 2s: ↑↓
- 2p: ↑ ↑ ↑ (each p orbital gets one electron — Hund’s Rule)
- *Explanation:* Nitrogen has 7 electrons. After filling 1s² and 2s², the remaining 3 go into separate 2p orbitals with parallel spins.
---
2. Silicon (Si)
- Atomic number = 14 → Number of electrons: 14
- Electron configuration: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^2`
- Orbital filling:
- 1s: ↑↓
- 2s: ↑↓
- 2p: ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓
- 3s: ↑↓
- 3p: ↑ ↑ _ (two electrons in separate p orbitals)
- *Explanation:* Follows Aufbau principle. After argon core (1s²2s²2p⁶), add 3s² then 3p².
---
3. Neon (Ne)
- Atomic number = 10 → Number of electrons: 10
- Electron configuration: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6`
- Orbital filling:
- 1s: ↑↓
- 2s: ↑↓
- 2p: ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓
- *Explanation:* Noble gas with full second shell. All orbitals filled.
---
4. Copper (Cu)
- Atomic number = 29 → Number of electrons: 29
- Electron configuration: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^1 3d^10` *(Exception to Aufbau!)*
- Orbital filling:
- 1s–3p: all filled normally (like Argon + 4s¹3d¹⁰)
- 4s: ↑
- 3d: ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ ↑↓ (all 5 d orbitals filled — stable half/full subshell)
- *Explanation:* Cu prefers a full 3d¹⁰ and half-filled 4s¹ for extra stability.
---
5. Zirconium (Zr)
- Atomic number = 40 → Number of electrons: 40
- Electron configuration: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6 5s^2 4d^2`
- Orbital filling:
- Core up to Kr (36 electrons): `1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁶4s²3d¹⁰4p⁶`
- Then: 5s² ↑↓, 4d² ↑ ↑ (in separate orbitals)
- *Explanation:* After krypton core, next electrons go into 5s then 4d. Zr is [Kr]5s²4d².
---
## B. Write the symbol of the element with the following ground state electron configurations
*(Add up superscripts to get total electrons = atomic number → find element)*
---
6. `1s^2 2s^2`
- Total e⁻ = 2 + 2 = 4 → Beryllium (Be)
---
7. `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^2`
- Total e⁻ = 2+2+6+2+6+2+2 = 22 → Titanium (Ti)
---
8. `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^4`
- Total e⁻ = 2+2+6+2+6+2+10+4 = 34 → Selenium (Se)
---
9. `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6 5s^1`
- Total e⁻ = 2+2+6+2+6+2+10+6+1 = 37 → Rubidium (Rb)
---
10. `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6 5s^2 4d^10 5p^6 6s^2 5d^9`
- Total e⁻ = 2+2+6+2+6+2+10+6+2+10+6+2+9 = 79 → Gold (Au)
- *Note:* This is an exception — Au is actually [Xe]4f¹⁴5d¹⁰6s¹, but based on given config, it’s 79 e⁻ → Au.
---
## C. Write the ground state electron configuration for the following
*(Use periodic table or Aufbau order)*
---
11. Iron (Fe) — Atomic number 26
- Configuration: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^6`
- Or: `[Ar] 4s^2 3d^6`
---
12. Sulfur (S) — Atomic number 16
- Configuration: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^4`
- Or: `[Ne] 3s^2 3p^4`
---
13. Krypton (Kr) — Atomic number 36
- Configuration: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6`
- Or: `[Ar] 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6`
---
## D. Use shorthand (noble gas) notation
*(Replace core electrons with noble gas symbol in brackets)*
---
14. Chlorine (Cl) — Atomic number 17
- Full: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^5`
- Shorthand: `[Ne] 3s^2 3p^5`
---
15. Antimony (Sb) — Atomic number 51
- Full: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6 5s^2 4d^10 5p^3`
- Shorthand: `[Kr] 5s^2 4d^10 5p^3`
---
16. Lanthanum (La) — Atomic number 57
- Full: `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6 5s^2 4d^10 5p^6 6s^2 5d^1`
- Shorthand: `[Xe] 6s^2 5d^1`
---
## ✔ Final Answer Summary:
---
A.
1. Nitrogen: 7 e⁻, `1s^2 2s^2 2p^3`
2. Silicon: 14 e⁻, `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^2`
3. Neon: 10 e⁻, `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6`
4. Copper: 29 e⁻, `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^1 3d^10`
5. Zirconium: 40 e⁻, `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6 5s^2 4d^2`
---
B.
6. Be
7. Ti
8. Se
9. Rb
10. Au
---
C.
11. `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^6`
12. `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^4`
13. `1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6`
---
D.
14. `[Ne] 3s^2 3p^5`
15. `[Kr] 5s^2 4d^10 5p^3`
16. `[Xe] 6s^2 5d^1`
---
Let me know if you’d like help drawing the orbital diagrams visually!
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of atomic orbitals worksheet.
