[micah]

Can someone please give me an example of how to do the Radium electron configuration, as I have a test tomorrow and I'm having trouble working with the latter portions of electron configuration. (Like: 5f, etc) Thanks!  (BTW I'm a grade 11 chemistry student)

Edit: So far

1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁶4s²3d¹⁰4p⁶


..Then, I have no clue what to do next..help please.

[Astrokel]

hey, radium has 88 electrons and that next step you have to determine which orbitals has lower energy when it is unfilled

1s,2s,2p,3s,3p,4s,3d,4p,5s,4d,5p,6s,4f,5d,6p,7s....  <-- first step

and next you start filling in the electrons

1s²2s²2p⁶3s²3p⁶4s²3d¹⁰4p⁶5s²4d¹⁰5p⁶6s²4f¹⁴5d¹⁰6p⁶7s²

Check your number of electrons and lastly rearrange the orbitals in order. all the 1's comes first follow by 2's....
this is to ensure you will not make mistake if you are removing electrons from orbital. if you are very sure which orbials has lower energy when unfilled, you could practically skip first step.

alternatively you could write [Rn]7s² much easier...

good luck to your test!!

[micah]

thanks for your help, I get it now.