"Does this element belong to s, p, d, or f block?"

[MyInitialsAreJC]

Beats me?

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[ADeadLois]

Beats me?

Find the element on the periodic table. If it's in group 1-2, it's S. If it's in the middle, D. On the right, P. Seperated on the bottom, F. That's it.

 

[MyInitialsAreJC]

Find the element on the periodic table. If it's in group 1-2, it's S. If it's in the middle, D. On the right, P. Seperated on the bottom, F. That's it.

wow thats easy

is there anything i should be able to presume about an atom's electron configuration because of the block they're in?

 

[ADeadLois]

wow thats easy

is there anything i should be able to presume about an atom's electron configuration because of the block they're in?

Yes, the "block" that the element is in refers to which shell contains its valence electrons. Sodium, for example, has its valence electrons in the S shell. Chlorine has its valence electrons in the P shell. Same for D and F, although it gets tricky in determining the number of valence electrons for those shells. The block also gives an indication to the elements properties. P's are gases and non-metals. S's are soft, brittle metals, while D's are hard metals. F's generally are difficult to handle but are typically metals.

 

[redsoxfan]

kaplan's gchem topicals explain it well--i had sort of an epiphany afterwards anyhow, look at a periodical table. take your pencil and draw a vertical line in b/w the 2nd and 3rd columns (ie b/w Ca + Sc). count 10 elements over and draw another vertical line (ie b/w Zn + Ga). OK, now notice that in your "s" block, you have 2 columns counting across, just like s holds 2 electrons in its shell. now look at your middle "d" block, and u can count 10 columns across, just like d holds 10 electrons in its sub-shell. same goes for the "p" block on the right. kinda crazy, huh. (the "f" blocks below have 14 across, also making sense). hope this helps.

 

[DrWanahbe]

The only thing that I would add is that you should be aware of WHERE electrons are coming from when subtracted from an atom. If you look at the periodic table, you see for example, that 4s gets filled before 3d, and that and that the 4s shell is lower in energy (more negative) than 3d. BUT if you were to take an electron away, it would come from the 4s shell because it's the highest "n" number.

Chromium and copper are also weird, they look excited when they're really in their ground states. They prefer to have either a half full or completely full d shell. So, one electron is taken from the 4s and put in to the 3d to give them that 1/2 or full shell. Subtracting an electron would still come from 4s first.

 

[Knickerbocker]

Beats me?

It helps to visualize it:

http://wine1.sb.fsu.edu/chm1045/notes/Struct/EPeriod/IMG00011.GIF

 

[redsoxfan]

It helps to visualize it:

http://wine1.sb.fsu.edu/chm1045/notes/Struct/EPeriod/IMG00011.GIF

ooh, me likey

 

[pandulce321]

Haha, i hope we have 5 of these on Saturday

 

[harrypotter]

The only thing that I would add is that you should be aware of WHERE electrons are coming from when subtracted from an atom. If you look at the periodic table, you see for example, that 4s gets filled before 3d, and that and that the 4s shell is lower in energy (more negative) than 3d. BUT if you were to take an electron away, it would come from the 4s shell because it's the highest "n" number.

Chromium and copper are also weird, they look excited when they're really in their ground states. They prefer to have either a half full or completely full d shell. So, one electron is taken from the 4s and put in to the 3d to give them that 1/2 or full shell. Subtracting an electron would still come from 4s first.

Could someone else take a stab at explaining this? I've been having trouble trying to figure out which electrons will participate in a bond and what is the purpose of the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4. It's shell size no? So 4 is bigger than 3, but which one holds the valence electrons.

 

[DrWanahbe]

The numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 correspond to the principal quantum number, n, which is the same as the valence shell. The electrons that will participate in a bond will come from the outermost valence shell, which will be the one with the highest "n" number

So, in the case of Cu and Cr, for example, if they're going to participate in a bond, the first two electrons will come from 4s first and not 3d, even though 3d gets filled AFTER 4s.

Electrons are assigned according to energy levels (1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p, 7s, 5f, 6d,7p)

Electrons are taken away based on distance from the nucleus. So, the outermost electrons will be in the outermost shell with the highest "n" number.


Does that help you? If not, let me know! It will help me to learn it cold if I can help someone else!

 

[harrypotter]

The numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 correspond to the principal quantum number, n, which is the same as the valence shell. The electrons that will participate in a bond will come from the outermost valence shell, which will be the one with the highest "n" number

So, in the case of Cu and Cr, for example, if they're going to participate in a bond, the first two electrons will come from 4s first and not 3d, even though 3d gets filled AFTER 4s.

Electrons are assigned according to energy levels (1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p, 7s, 5f, 6d,7p)

Electrons are taken away based on distance from the nucleus. So, the outermost electrons will be in the outermost shell with the highest "n" number.


Does that help you? If not, let me know! It will help me to learn it cold if I can help someone else!

Thank you for your help. Just to clarify:

Take V[23] for instance, is it's electron configuration:
1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d^3?

Is this written in increasing energy? So 4s is less energy than 3d but the 2 electrons in 4s will be used in a bond?

 

[DrWanahbe]

Thank you for your help. Just to clarify:

Take V[23] for instance, is it's electron configuration:
1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d^3?

Is this written in increasing energy? So 4s is less energy than 3d but the 2 electrons in 4s will be used in a bond?

Yep, you got it! It's as simple as that! Fill according to energy (the more negative the energy, the lower it is - I always confuse that), take according to distance.

It gets even trickier with the Lanthanides and Actinides since not only do you add the "f" subshell, the Lathanides are 4f and the Actinides are 5f. But, using the same pattern as above, you can figure them out. Just remember that the f subshell starts after a single orbital in the d subshell gets started. (We never actually covered this in class, but may get to it next semester for all I know.) Check out that graphic that knickerbocker posted, that will help make it clear.

Now, If I could only imagine how Lewis structures are supposed to look in my head so I can figure out polarity/non-polarity, and thus the whole bonding/intermolecular forces with ease, I'd be thrilled!

 

[harrypotter]

Dr.W Thank you sooo much! That's one more thing I can cross off my list!