Electron Configurations (Intro)
Electron configurations describe how electrons are arranged in an atom’s orbitals. Understanding these configurations is key to explaining an element’s chemical properties and how it interacts with other elements.
Using the Diagonal Rule to Write Electron Configurations
In general chemistry classes the diagonal rule is often taught as a (fairly) easy way to write electron configurations for the elements.
Writing Electron Configurations Using Only the Periodic Table
The most powerful way (and still easy) to learn electron configurations is understanding their pattern on the Periodic Table.
Writing Condensed/Abbreviated Electron Configurations
Electron configurations can get long. Here's how to write them in a more concise notation.