help explaning the periodic table

[Aquarist007]

I am posting this here because I know this is where the chemists hang out.
How you explain the second to last row of data under each element in the periodic table. I think it has to do with electron orbitals but the element in brace brackets has me stumped.

in this case the row [Rn]6d27s2

 

[Bonebrake]

The element in brackets is a shorthand way to write the electron configuration. The 6d²7s² represents the valence electrons or the electrons in the outermost orbital shells available for bonding.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The full written electron configuration is

1s2 2s2p6 3s2p6d10 4s2p6d10f14 5s2p6d10 6s2p6d2 7s2

This has more, including a little picture of what that means:

http://environmentalchemistry.com/yogi/periodic/Th.html

 

[Aquarist007]

thanks alot Randy and Bonebrake--well explained and appreciated

 

[BigJay]

I understand the basic order in which electron orbital shells are filled, but not why.

Why is it that 4s is filled before 3d, or 5s before 4d or 4f?

 

[KevChem]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13590161#post13590161 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BigJay
I understand the basic order in which electron orbital shells are filled, but not why.

Why is it that 4s is filled before 3d, or 5s before 4d or 4f?

Simple answer: That's the way it is (nature). That answer will get you though high school chem and college-level gen. chem and maybe through inorganic chem and physical chem.

Beyond that - experimentally we can measure energy levels (by absorbed energy in the form of photons) so we can show what energy the levels have - and the electrons seek to fill the lower energy level first (when in the ground state).

Kevin

 

[ukroylisa]

As Randy has illustrated, the full electon structure of Th is very long winded, so Chemists have the shorthand version. [Rn] means " I have the electron stucture of Rn". Now add the electron structure of the valence electrons for the element in question. The shorthand element is always the symbol for the Noble Gas at the end of the previous period (horizontal row) in which the element being considered is situated. Th is an actinide which is really in Period 7, so Rn is the noble gas at the end of Period 6. Roy

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13590596#post13590596 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ukroylisa
As Randy has illustrated, the full electon structure of Th is very long winded, so Chemists have the shorthand version. [Rn] means " I have the electron stucture of Rn". Now add the electron structure of the valence electrons for the element in question. The shorthand element is always the symbol for the Noble Gas at the end of the previous period (horizontal row) in which the element being considered is situated. Th is an actinide which is really in Period 7, so Rn is the noble gas at the end of Period 6. Roy

that verify's the way I picked it up also from Randy's example

I believe it means it can share two electrons in the 6 orbital and 2 electrons in the seventh?

 

[KevChem]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13591366#post13591366 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
that verify's the way I picked it up also from Randy's example

I believe it means it can share two electrons in the 6 orbital and 2 electrons in the seventh?

Since Th is a metal, it forms a positive ion (complete loss of e-, no sharing). In this case, it gives up all 4 valence electrons to form a +4 ion.

Kevin

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13596919#post13596919 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KevChem
Since Th is a metal, it forms a positive ion (complete loss of e-, no sharing). In this case, it gives up all 4 valence electrons to form a +4 ion.

Kevin

:thumbsup: thanks

 

[Boomer]

Cap

To make it a little more simple take Na and Cl

Na= 3s1 = The 3rd oribit has 1 electron in the s subshell

Cl = 3s2p5 = 7 electrons in the 3 orbit, 2 in s and 5 in p

The outer orbit of Na has only one electron and held there very weakly, as 1 election has little energy to keep it there. It would be much more stable it it gave up that 1 electron and goes to just a 2nd orbit with 2s2p6 where 8 electrons is much more stable. So it looses that one electron and becomes Na+. It now has 1 less electron than proton

The outer orbit of Cl has 7 electrons and would be even more stable if it had 8. With all that energy of 7 electrons in the outer orbit it can easily steal an electron form a weak atom like Na giving it 8 and now a charge of -1 or Cl-. It now has 1 more electron than protons. In pure atoms the number of protons always equal electrons.

So if a Na parked its butt up against a Cl, the Cl would steal away tha Na electron, which is willing to give as it does not have enough energy to keep it there. The Na loose one and the Cl gains one. An we could get, N+ + Cl- = NaCl (table salt), held together by the weak ionic bond of - and +......think of it like a magnet.

6s2p6d2 7s2

Same here with the Th, it has only 2 electrons in 7s and only 2 electrons in 6d. But the 6 p has 6 electrons making it more stable. So, it is easy to give up those 4. Thus this, 6d2 7s2 is telling you those electrons that it will give up = 4+

 

[Billybeau1]

You guys are killing me. :lol:

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13597481#post13597481 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Boomer
Cap

To make it a little more simple take Na and Cl

Na= 3s1 = The 3rd oribit has 1 electron in the s subshell

Cl = 3s2p5 = 7 electrons in the 3 orbit, 2 in s and 5 in p

The outer orbit of Na has only one electron and held there very weakly, as 1 election has little energy to keep it there. It would be much more stable it it gave up that 1 electron and goes to just a 2nd orbit with 2s2p6 where 8 electrons is much more stable. So it looses that one electron and becomes Na+. It now has 1 less electron than proton

The outer orbit of Cl has 7 electrons and would be even more stable if it had 8. With all that energy of 7 electrons in the outer orbit it can easily steal an electron form a weak atom like Na giving it 8 and now a charge of -1 or Cl-. It now has 1 more electron than protons. In pure atoms the number of protons always equal electrons.

So if a Na parked its butt up against a Cl, the Cl would steal away tha Na electron, which is willing to give as it does not have enough energy to keep it there. The Na loose one and the Cl gains one. An we could get, N+ + Cl- = NaCl (table salt), held together by the weak ionic bond of - and +......think of it like a magnet.

6s2p6d2 7s2

Same here with the Th, it has only 2 electrons in 7s and only 2 electrons in 6d. But the 6 p has 6 electrons making it more stable. So, it is easy to give up those 4. Thus this, 6d2 7s2 is telling you those electrons that it will give up = 4+

thanks boomer ---I will use this explanation with one of my adult students who is retraining for college.

 

[Boomer]

Billy

You guys are killing me.

We keep trying but you're still not dead yet We do not know what else we can do, as nothing seems to work

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13604496#post13604496 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Boomer
Billy

You guys are killing me.

We keep trying but you're still not dead yet We do not know what else we can do, as nothing seems to work

If you can neutralize the salt that he has absorbed over the years he won't be a preserved and you might stand a chance:lol:

 

[Bonebrake]

:lol:

 

[Boomer]

Yah your're right, he is well pickled to say the least

 

[HighlandReefer]

Salty Dog.

 

[Billybeau1]

:lol:

After all of my testing, I've got enough salt in my basement to last me a year.