2. In electron configurations for multielectron atoms, the orbitals are listed from lowest to highest energy. That being said, the order shows that the 5s orbital is listed before the 4d orbitals in a "proper" electron configuration. Please explain why this orbital ordering is unexpected and why it is believed to occur.
2. In electron configurations for multielectron atoms, the orbitals are listed from lowest to highest energy. That being said, the order shows that the 5s orbital is listed before the 4d orbitals in a "proper" electron configuration. Please explain why this orbital ordering is unexpected and why it is believed to occur.
Chemistry
10th Edition
ISBN:9781305957404
Author:Steven S. Zumdahl, Susan A. Zumdahl, Donald J. DeCoste
Publisher:Steven S. Zumdahl, Susan A. Zumdahl, Donald J. DeCoste
Chapter1: Chemical Foundations
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Problem 1RQ: Define and explain the differences between the following terms. a. law and theory b. theory and...
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Transcribed Image Text:**Question:**
In electron configurations for multielectron atoms, the orbitals are listed from lowest to highest energy. That being said, the order shows that the 5s orbital is listed before the 4d orbitals in a "proper" electron configuration. Please explain why this orbital ordering is unexpected and why it is believed to occur.
**Explanation:**
In multi-electron atoms, the electron configuration is determined by the increasing order of orbital energies, generally following the Aufbau principle. Typically, one would expect the 4d orbitals to fill before the 5s orbital because they belong to a lower principal quantum number, which often corresponds to lower energy.
However, this is not the case because the energy of orbitals is influenced by other factors such as electron shielding and orbital penetration. The 5s orbital, despite having a higher principal quantum number, has a significant degree of penetration closer to the nucleus and is less shielded by inner electrons compared to 4d orbitals. This results in the 5s orbital being lower in energy than the 4d orbitals and filling first.
This phenomenon is rooted in quantum mechanical principles and reflects the actual observed behavior in electron configurations of transition metals and other elements. Understanding this ordering helps explain the chemical and physical properties of elements in the periodic table.
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