Chapter 8, Problem 8.37QE

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The ground-state electronic configurations for ${\text{Fe}}^{3+}$ and ${\text{Cr}}^{3+}$ has to be determined.

Concept Introduction:

The electronic configuration is the distribution of electrons in various atomic orbitals of the atom. The electrons that are present in the outermost orbital are known as valence electrons whereas those present in the orbitals with lower quantum numbers are called core electrons. The condensed electronic configuration is the shorthand notation where inner shell configurations are written in the form of the nearest noble gas configuration and the valence shell configuration is written in the expanded configuration.

Electrons are filled in orbitals in accordance with three rules: Aufbau principle, Hund’s rule, and Pauli’s exclusion principle. Aufbau principle states that electrons are filled in the orbitals from lower to higher energy level as follows:

  $1s<2s<2p<3s<3p<4s<3d<4p<5s<4d<5p<6s<4f<5d<6p<7s$

Hund’s rule states that initially each orbital is singly occupied and then pairing occurs and Pauli’s exclusion principle states that the spin of two electrons in one orbital is always different.