Electron Configuration Notation:

-shows the arrangment of electrons around the nucleus of an atom.

- helps chemist understanding how elements form chemical bonds.

- can be written using the period table or an electron configuration chart.

How to Write Electron Configurations

Chemists write electron configurations to describe and communicate the arrangement of electrons around the nucleus of atoms. This notation aids in predicting how atoms will join together to from chemical bonds and their behavior.

What are electron configurations?

There are two ways to write the electronic configuration of electrons in atoms. The first is more conceptually cohesive and involves using the Periodic Table to write the notation.

Using the Periodic Table to Write Electron Configurations

The second way is more algorithmic and doesn�t really provide a sense of the periodicity and the arrangement of electrons in elements. The level of difficulty is about the same as the Periodic Table method. However this has traditionally the most commonly way of teaching electron configurations.

Using the Configuration Chart to Write Electron Configurations