Radium electron configuration

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The radium electron configuration, represented as [Rn] 7s² or 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6p⁶ 7s², illustrates the arrangement of electrons within the atom. This configuration can be determined through various methods, including the aufbau principle, periodic table organization, Bohr model representation, or orbital diagram visualization.

Methods

Aufbau principle

• First, find electrons of radium atom

The atomic number of radium represents the total number of electrons of radium. Since the atomic number of radium is 88, the total electrons of radium are 88.

• Second, make a table of subshell and its maximum electrons

Calculate the maximum number of electrons each subshell can hold using the formula: 4ℓ + 2

Where, ℓ = azimuthal quantum number of the subshell

For s subshell, ℓ = 0
For p subshell, ℓ = 1
For d subshell, ℓ = 2
For f subshell, ℓ = 3

subshell	max. electrons
s	2
p	6
d	10
f	14

This means that,

Each s subshell can hold maximum 2 electrons
Each p subshell can hold maximum 6 electrons
Each d subshell can hold maximum 10 electrons
Each f subshell can hold maximum 14 electrons

• Finally, use aufbau chart and start writing electron configuration

Remember that we have a total of 88 electrons.

According to the aufbau principle, 1s subshell is filled first and then 2s, 2p, 3s… and so on.

By looking at the chart, you can see that electrons are first filled in 1s subshell. Each s-subshell can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, so we will use 2 electrons for the 1s subshell.

So the electron configuration will be 1s². Where, 1s² indicates that the 1s subshell has 2 electrons.

Now we have used 2 electrons in the 1s subshell, so we have a total of 88 – 2 = 86 electrons left.

Looking at the chart, after 1s subshell now comes 2s subshell. Again, each s-subshell can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, so we will use 2 electrons for the 2s subshell.

So the electron configuration will be 1s² 2s². Where, 2s² indicates that the 2s subshell has 2 electrons.

Again, we have used 2 electrons in the 2s subshell, so we have a total of 86 – 2 = 84 electrons left.

After 2s subshell now comes 2p subshell. Each p-subshell can hold a maximum of 6 electrons, so we will use 6 electrons for the 2p subshell.

So the electron configuration will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶. Where, 2p⁶ indicates that the 2p subshell has 6 electrons.

Here, we have used 6 electrons in the 2p subshell, so we have a total of 84 – 6 = 78 electrons left.

After 2p subshell now comes 3s subshell. Each s-subshell can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, so we will use 2 electrons for the 3s subshell.

So the electron configuration will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s². Where, 3s² indicates that the 3s subshell has 2 electrons.

Here, we have used 2 electrons in the 3s subshell, so we have a total of 78 – 2 = 76 electrons left.

After 3s subshell now comes 3p subshell. Each p-subshell can hold a maximum of 6 electrons, so we will use 6 electrons for the 3p subshell.

So the electron configuration will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶. Where, 3p⁶ indicates that the 3p subshell has 6 electrons.

Here, we have used 6 electrons in the 3p subshell, so we have a total of 76 – 6 = 70 electrons left.

After 3p subshell now comes 4s subshell. Each s-subshell can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, so we will use 2 electrons for the 4s subshell.

So the electron configuration will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s². Where, 4s² indicates that the 4s subshell has 2 electrons.

Here, we have used 2 electrons in the 4s subshell, so we have a total of 70 – 2 = 68 electrons left.

After 4s subshell now comes 3d subshell. Each d-subshell can hold a maximum of 10 electrons, so we will use 10 electrons for the 3d subshell.

So the electron configuration will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰. Where, 3d¹⁰ indicates that the 3d subshell has 10 electrons.

Here, we have used 10 electrons in the 3d subshell, so we have a total of 68 – 10 = 58 electrons left.

After 3d subshell now comes 4p subshell. Each p-subshell can hold a maximum of 6 electrons, so we will use 6 electrons for the 4p subshell.

So the electron configuration will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶. Where, 4p⁶ indicates that the 4p subshell has 6 electrons.

Here, we have used 6 electrons in the 4p subshell, so we have a total of 58 – 6 = 52 electrons left.

After 4p subshell now comes 5s subshell. Each s-subshell can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, so we will use 2 electrons for the 5s subshell.

So the electron configuration will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s². Where, 5s² indicates that the 5s subshell has 2 electrons.

Here, we have used 2 electrons in the 5s subshell, so we have a total of 52 – 2 = 50 electrons left.

After 5s subshell now comes 4d subshell. Each d-subshell can hold a maximum of 10 electrons, so we will use 10 electrons for the 4d subshell.

So the electron configuration will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰. Where, 4d¹⁰ indicates that the 4d subshell has 10 electrons.

Here, we have used 10 electrons in the 4d subshell, so we have a total of 50 – 10 = 40 electrons left.

After 4d subshell now comes 5p subshell. Each p-subshell can hold a maximum of 6 electrons, so we will use 6 electrons for the 5p subshell.

So the electron configuration will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶. Where, 5p⁶ indicates that the 5p subshell has 6 electrons.

Here, we have used 6 electrons in the 5p subshell, so we have a total of 40 – 6 = 34 electrons left.

After 5p subshell now comes 6s subshell. Each s-subshell can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, so we will use 2 electrons for the 6s subshell.

So the electron configuration will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s². Where, 6s² indicates that the 6s subshell has 2 electrons.

Here, we have used 2 electrons in the 6s subshell, so we have a total of 34 – 2 = 32 electrons left.

After 6s subshell now comes 4f subshell. Each f-subshell can hold a maximum of 14 electrons, so we will use 14 electrons for the 4f subshell.

So the electron configuration will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴. Where, 4f¹⁴ indicates that the 4f subshell has 14 electrons.

Here, we have used 14 electrons in the 4f subshell, so we have a total of 32 – 14 = 18 electrons left.

After 4f subshell now comes 5d subshell. Each d-subshell can hold a maximum of 10 electrons, so we will use 10 electrons for the 5d subshell.

So the electron configuration will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰. Where, 5d¹⁰ indicates that the 5d subshell has 10 electrons.

Here, we have used 10 electrons in the 5d subshell, so we have a total of 18 – 10 = 8 electrons left.

After 5d subshell now comes 6p subshell. Each p-subshell can hold a maximum of 6 electrons, so we will use 6 electrons for the 6p subshell.

So the electron configuration will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6p⁶. Where, 6p⁶ indicates that the 6p subshell has 6 electrons.

Here, we have used 6 electrons in the 6p subshell, so we have a total of 8 – 6 = 2 electrons left.

After 6p subshell now comes 7s subshell. Each s-subshell can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, and we also have 2 electrons left, so we will use that 2 electrons for the 7s subshell.

So the electron configuration will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6p⁶ 7s². Where, 7s² indicates that the 7s subshell has 2 electrons.

Therefore, the final electron configuration of radium is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6p⁶ 7s². And the condensed/abbreviated electron configuration of radium is [Xe] 7s².

Where, Xe is xenon

Periodic table

• First, get periodic table chart with spdf notation

The above image shows periodic table blocks.

The ‘s’ in s block represents that all s block elements have their valence electrons in s subshell. Similarly, the ‘p’ in p block represents that all p block elements have their valence electrons in p subshell. And so on for d block and f block.

• Second, mark location of radium on periodic table

Radium is the s block element located in group 2 and period 7. Hence, mark the location of radium on the periodic table as follows:

• Finally, start writing electron configuration

Remember that: each s subshell can hold maximum 2 electrons, each p subshell can hold maximum 6 electrons, each d subshell can hold maximum 10 electrons, and each f subshell can hold maximum 14 electrons.

Start writing electron configuration from the very first element (i.e., hydrogen) all the way up to radium.

So the electron configuration of radium will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6p⁶ 7s².

Bohr model

In the above image, 1 represents the 1^st electron shell. Similarly, 2 represents the 2^nd electron shell, 3 represents the 3^rd electron shell, 4 represents the 4^th electron shell, 5 represents the 5^th electron shell, 6 represents the 6^th electron shell, and 7 represents the 7^th electron shell.

The 1^st electron shell contains 1s subshell, the 2^nd electron shell contains 2s and 2p subshells, the 3^rd electron shell contains 3s, 3p, and 3d subshells, the 4^th electron shell contains 4s, 4p, 4d, and 4f subshells, the 5^th electron shell contains 5s, 5p, and 5d subshells, the 6^th electron shell contains 6s and 6p subshells, and the 7^th electron shell contains 7s subshell.

We know that each s subshell can hold maximum 2 electrons, each p subshell can hold maximum 6 electrons, each d subshell can hold maximum 10 electrons, and each f subshell can hold maximum 14 electrons.

Also, we have to make sure that the electron configuration will match the order of aufbau principle (i.e., the 1s subshell is filled first and then 2s, 2p, 3s… and so on).

So the electron configuration of radium will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6p⁶ 7s².

Where,

1s² indicates that the 1s subshell has 2 electrons
2s² indicates that the 2s subshell has 2 electrons
2p⁶ indicates that the 2p subshell has 6 electrons
3s² indicates that the 3s subshell has 2 electrons
3p⁶ indicates that the 3p subshell has 6 electrons
4s² indicates that the 4s subshell has 2 electrons
3d¹⁰ indicates that the 3d subshell has 10 electrons
4p⁶ indicates that the 4p subshell has 6 electrons
5s² indicates that the 5s subshell has 2 electrons
4d¹⁰ indicates that the 4d subshell has 10 electrons
5p⁶ indicates that the 5p subshell has 6 electrons
6s² indicates that the 6s subshell has 2 electrons
4f¹⁴ indicates that the 4f subshell has 14 electrons
5d¹⁰ indicates that the 5d subshell has 10 electrons
6p⁶ indicates that the 6p subshell has 6 electrons
7s² indicates that the 7s subshell has 2 electrons

Learn how to draw: Radium Bohr model

Orbital diagram

The above orbital diagram shows that the 1s subshell has 2 electrons, the 2s subshell has 2 electrons, the 2p subshell has 6 electrons, the 3s subshell has 2 electrons, the 3p subshell has 6 electrons, the 4s subshell has 2 electrons, the 3d subshell has 10 electrons, the 4p subshell has 6 electrons, the 5s subshell has 2 electrons, the 4d subshell has 10 electrons, the 5p subshell has 6 electrons, the 6s subshell has 2 electrons, the 4f subshell has 14 electrons, the 5d subshell has 10 electrons, the 6p subshell has 6 electrons, and the 7s subshell has 2 electrons.

So the electron configuration of radium will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 4s² 3d¹⁰ 4p⁶ 5s² 4d¹⁰ 5p⁶ 6s² 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6p⁶ 7s².

Next: Neon electron configuration

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Related

• Periodic table

More topics

• Radium
• Radium Bohr model
• Radium valence electrons

External links

• Radium » properties of free atoms – Mark Winter – University of Sheffield
• Radium (Ra) – Periodic Table – periodictable.one
• Periodic Table of Elements: Radium – Ra – EnvironmentalChemistry.com
• Complete Electron Configuration for Radium (Ra, Ra2+) – valenceelectrons.com
• Write the electron configuration for a radium (Ra) atom (Z = 88) in the ground state – Homework.Study.com
• Electron Configuration of the elements – Photographic Periodic Table
• Radium | Ra (Element) – National Institutes of Health (.gov)
• Radium – Element information, properties and uses – Royal Society of Chemistry
• What is the long electron configuration for radium? – Answers
• How is the electron configuration of radium determined? – Quora
• Radium Electron Configuration – Chemical Forums
• Radium – Wikipedia
• 2022: ☢️ Electron Configuration of Radium (Ra) [Complete, Abbreviated, Uses … – Materials
• Chemical Elements.com – Radium (Ra) – Chemical Elements.com
• Radium (Ra) – ChemicalAid
• Complete the electron configuration for a radium atom (z = 88) in the ground state – Brainly
• Radium | Description, Properties, Symbol, Uses, & Facts – Britannica
• Radium – Los Alamos National Laboratory (.gov)
• Write the electron configuration for a radium (Ra) atom (Z 88) in the ground state – Chegg
• Radium – Elements Wiki | Fandom
• Radium | The Periodic Table at KnowledgeDoor – KnowledgeDoor
• Radium (Ra) – Periodic Table (Element Information & More) – Periodic Table Guide
• Radium: Electron configuration – Symbol – Atomic Number – chemistry1science
• Periodic Table of the Elements – Radium – Cool Periodic Table
• What is the full electron configuration for radium (Ra) – Quizlet