Electronic configuration is the arrangement of electrons in different energy levels or shells around the nucleus of an atom. The distribution of electrons follows a rule known as the 2n² rule.
According to the 2n² rule, the maximum number of electrons that can be filled in a shell is calculated by the formula:
The maximum number of electrons a shell can hold is given by the formula: 2n²
Here, n is the number of the shell (1 for K, 2 for L, 3 for M, and so on).
| Name of Element | Atomic Number | Electronic Configuration |
|---|---|---|
| Hydrogen (H) | 1 | 1 |
| Helium (He) | 2 | 2 |
| Lithium (Li) | 3 | 2, 1 |
| Beryllium (Be) | 4 | 2, 2 |
| Boron (B) | 5 | 2, 3 |
| Carbon (C) | 6 | 2, 4 |
| Nitrogen (N) | 7 | 2, 5 |
| Oxygen (O) | 8 | 2, 6 |
| Fluorine (F) | 9 | 2, 7 |
| Neon (Ne) | 10 | 2, 8 |
| Sodium (Na) | 11 | 2, 8, 1 |
| Magnesium (Mg) | 12 | 2, 8, 2 |
| Aluminium (Al) | 13 | 2, 8, 3 |
| Silicon (Si) | 14 | 2, 8, 4 |
| Phosphorus (P) | 15 | 2, 8, 5 |
| Sulfur (S) | 16 | 2, 8, 6 |
| Chlorine (Cl) | 17 | 2, 8, 7 |
| Argon (Ar) | 18 | 2, 8, 8 |
| Potassium (K) | 19 | 2, 8, 8, 1 |
| Calcium (Ca) | 20 | 2, 8, 8, 2 |
The electronic configuration helps us understand how electrons are arranged in an atom. Using the 2n² rule, we can easily determine how many electrons fit into each shell, making it easier to study the structure and properties of elements.