Silicon electron configuration

The information on this page is ✔ fact-checked.

The silicon electron configuration, denoted as [Ne] 3s² 3p² or 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p², 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 silicon atom

The atomic number of silicon represents the total number of electrons of silicon. Since the atomic number of silicon is 14, the total electrons of silicon are 14.

• 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 14 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 14 – 2 = 12 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 12 – 2 = 10 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 10 – 6 = 4 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 4 – 2 = 2 electrons left.

After 3s subshell now comes 3p subshell. Each p-subshell can hold a maximum of 6 electrons, but here we have only 2 electrons left, so we will use that 2 electrons for the 3p subshell.

So the electron configuration will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p². Where, 3p² indicates that the 3p subshell has 2 electrons.

Therefore, the final electron configuration of silicon is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p². And the condensed/abbreviated electron configuration of silicon is [Ne] 3s² 3p².

Where, Ne is neon

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 silicon on periodic table

Silicon is the p block element located in group 14 and period 3. Hence, mark the location of silicon 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 silicon.

So the electron configuration of silicon will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p².

Bohr model

In the above image, 1 represents the 1^st electron shell. Similarly, 2 represents the 2^nd electron shell, and 3 represents the 3^rd electron shell.

The 1^st electron shell contains 1s subshell, the 2^nd electron shell contains 2s and 2p subshells, and the 3^rd electron shell contains 3s and 3p subshells.

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 silicon will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p².

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
3p² indicates that the 3p subshell has 2 electrons

Learn how to draw: Silicon 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, and the 3p subshell has 2 electrons.

So the electron configuration of silicon will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p².

Learn how to draw: Silicon orbital diagram

Next: Sulfur electron configuration

📝 Your feedback matters. Visit our contact page.

Related

• Periodic table

More topics

• Silicon
• Silicon Bohr model
• Silicon orbital diagram
• Silicon protons neutrons electrons
• Silicon valence electrons

External links

• Electron Configuration for Silicon (Si) – The University of Maryland
• What is the correct electron configuration for silicon? – Socratic
• Silicon Electronic Configuration: Distribution of Electrons in Shell – EnthuZiastic
• Why silicon doesn’t have the electronic configuration [Ne] 3s¹3p³? – Chemistry Stack Exchange
• Explain the electron configuration for silicon – Homework.Study.com
• Silicon Electron Configuration – Pinterest
• Electrons configuration for silicon? – Answers
• Silicon – Element information, properties and uses – Royal Society of Chemistry
• Silicon Electron Configuration: A Close Look at the Building of Modern Technology – Geometry of Molecules
• Give the ground-state electron configuration for silicon – Brainly
• 2022: ☢️ Electron Configuration of Silicon (Si) [Complete, Abbreviated, Uses … – Materials
• Silicon (Si) – Periodic Table – periodictable.one
• Electronic Configuration for Silicon – BrainMass
• WebElements Periodic Table » Silicon » properties of free atoms – University of Sheffield
• Periodic Table of Elements: Silicon – Si – EnvironmentalChemistry.com
• Silicon | Si (Element) – National Institutes of Health (.gov)
• Silicon | The Periodic Table at KnowledgeDoor – KnowledgeDoor
• Chemical Elements.com – Silicon (Si) – ChemicalElements.com
• What is the electronic structure of silicon and germanum? – Quora
• Silicon (Si) – ChemicalAid
• Q: What is the ground state electron configuration for silicon? – CK-12 Foundation
• Electron Configuration of the elements – Photographic Periodic Table