NAME______________________________________________
PERIOD_____________
DATE___________________________
Chapter 5 Sec. 3: Electron Configurations Worksheet
1. What is the aufbau principle?
2. What is the Pauli exclusion principle?
3. What is Hund’s rule?
4. Which electrons determine the chemical properties of an element? How are they defined?
5. Write the complete ground state electron configurations for the following:
a. Lithium _________________________________________________________
b. Oxygen _________________________________________________________
c. Rubidium ________________________________________________________
6. Write the abbreviated ground state electron configurations for the following using noble gas notation:
a. Nitrogen _________________________________________________________
b. Chlorine _________________________________________________________
c. Zinc _____________________________________________________________
7. Draw the electron-dot structures for atoms of the following elements:
a. Magnesium
b. Thallium
c. Xenon
8. An atom of an element has a total of 13 electrons. What is the element, and how many electrons are
shown in its electron-dot structure?
9. Write out tin’s abbreviated ground state electron configuration using noble gas notation and then use it
to draw tin’s electron-dot structure.
10. Which ground state elements correspond to the following electron configurations?
a. [Rn] 5f146d37s2 __________________________________________________
b. [Ne] 3s23p4 ____________________________________________________
c. [Xe] 4f145d66s2 _________________________________________________
11. For each of the following write the ground state electron configuration, the abbreviated ground state
electron configuration using noble gas notation, and also the orbital notation/diagram:
a. Beryllium (Be)
i. Ground state configuration: ______________________________________________
ii. Abbreviated configuration: _______________________________________________
iii. Orbital notation/diagram:
b. Nitrogen (N)
i. Ground state configuration: _______________________________________________
ii. Abbreviated configuration: ________________________________________________
iii. Orbital notation/diagram:
c. Calcium (Ca)
i. Ground state configuration: ________________________________________________
ii. Abbreviated configuration: _________________________________________________
iii. Orbital notation/diagram:
12. ________ Multiple Choice Which electron configuration notation describes an atom in an excited state?
a. [Ar]4s23d104p2
c. [Kr]5s24d1
b. [Ne]3s23p5
d. [Ar]4s23d84p1