Friday, March 6, 2026

Chemistry Chapter 2: Electrons in Atoms Notes

Energy Levels

- Each electron in an atom has a particular average amount of energy.  

- The further away an electron is from the nucleus, the more energy it has.  

- Each principal energy level (symbol n) corresponds to an electron shell at a certain distance from the nucleus.  

- Energy levels are divided into sub‑levels named s, p, d, f.  

Electronic Configuration

- Electronic configuration represents the arrangement of electrons in atoms, showing principal quantum shells, sub‑shells, and the number of electrons present.  

- Electrons may also be represented in boxes.  

- The energy change that accompanies electron removal is called ionisation energy.  

Ionisation Energy

- First ionisation energy (IE₁): The energy needed to remove 1 mole of electrons from 1 mole of atoms in the gaseous state to form 1 mole of gaseous ions.  

- Successive ionisation energies: The energy required to remove electrons one by one from a gaseous atom.  

- Ionisation energy increases as proton number increases.  

- The further the outer electron shell is from the nucleus, the lower the ionisation energy.  

- Ionisation energy decreases when more full electron shells shield the outer electrons from the nucleus.  

Shielding

- Inner shell electrons reduce the effect of nuclear charge on outer shell electrons.  

Sub‑shells

- Sub‑shells are regions within principal quantum shells where electrons exist with specific energies.  

- Named s, p, d, f.  

Atomic Orbitals

- Orbitals are regions of space outside the nucleus that can hold a maximum of 2 electrons.  

- Orbitals differ in shape:  

  - s: 1 orbital → 2 electrons  

  - p: 3 orbitals → 6 electrons  

  - d: 5 orbitals → 10 electrons  

Blocks in the Periodic Table

- Group 1 and Group 2 elements: outer electrons in s subshell → s‑block.  

- Group 13 to 18 (except Helium): outer electrons in p subshell → p‑block.  

- Elements adding electrons to d subshell → d‑block (mostly transition elements).  

Spin‑Pair Repulsion

- Electrons in the same orbital repel each other due to their charge.  

- Pairing electrons with opposite spins reduces repulsion.  

- Repulsion is stronger in paired electrons than in single electrons in separate orbitals.  

- This explains why electrons in p orbitals occupy separate orbitals before pairing.  

Free Radicals

- A species with one or more unpaired electrons.  

Atomic Radius

- The covalent atomic radius is half the distance between the nuclei of two covalently bonded atoms of the same type.  

- This is a useful measure for comparing elements across a period.  

Electron Shells and Subshells

- Electron shells can be divided into s, p, d, and f subshells.  

- Maximum electrons: s = 2, p = 6, d = 10.  

- Each subshell has orbitals that can hold 2 electrons each.  

Using Ionisation Energy Data

- The outer‑shell electronic configuration and the position of an element in the periodic table can be deduced using successive ionisation energy data.  

Factors Affecting Ionisation Energy

- Spin‑pair repulsion.  

- Distance of electron from nucleus.  

- Number of positive charges in the nucleus.  

- Degree of shielding of outer electrons by inner shells.  

No comments:

Folk Arts of India

Madhubani Painting   - Region: Mithila, Bihar   - Period: Ancient (references from Ramayana)   - Artists: Traditionally, women   - Themes...