which one of the following electronic configuration is not possible
Which one of the following electronic configurations is not possible?
Answer:
To determine which electronic configuration is not possible, it’s essential first to understand the basic rules that govern electron configurations:
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Pauli Exclusion Principle: No two electrons in an atom can have the same set of four quantum numbers. Essentially, an orbital can hold a maximum of two electrons with opposite spins.
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Aufbau Principle: Electrons fill orbitals starting from the lowest energy level moving to higher levels. The typical order of filling is 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, etc.
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Hund’s Rule: Electrons occupy equal-energy orbitals singly before pairing up.
Given these principles, let’s examine a set of possible electronic configurations and identify which one is not feasible.
Example Configurations:
- 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p³
- 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁷
- 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s¹
- 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s¹
Examination by Steps:
1. 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p³:
- This represents a valid configuration. The given configuration has an accurate filling of electrons: 1s² (2 electrons), 2s² (2 electrons), 2p⁶ (6 electrons), 3s² (2 electrons), and 3p³ (3 electrons) which is the correct filling order.
2. 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁷:
- The 3p orbital can only hold a maximum of 6 electrons. Therefore, having 3p⁷ is not possible, violating the Pauli Exclusion Principle.
3. 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s¹:
- This is a valid configuration. After the 2p layer, the next electron goes into the 3s orbital. Thus, it satisfies all the required rules.
4. 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s¹:
- This is a valid configuration as well. Electrons correctly fill up the energy levels in order: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, and then 4s.
Final Answer:
The electronic configuration 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁷ is not possible due to a violation of the Pauli Exclusion Principle.