Question

How do you write the electron configuration of Tin?

Answer 1

Electronic configuration:-

• Electron configuration of an element shows us how the electrons are distributed in its atomic orbitals.
• The electron configurations of atoms follow a standard notation in which all the atomic subshells that contain electrons (with the number of electrons they hold written in superscript) are placed in a certain sequence.
• Electronic Configuration is given in accordance to Aufbau Principle, Hund's Rule and Pauli's Exclusion Principle.
• Here, $‘\mathrm{n}’$refers to the principal quantum number whereas, $‘\mathrm{l}’$refers to the azimuthal quantum number.
• When l=0 it represents the s-subshell, when l=1 it represents the p-subshell, l=2 it represents the d-subshell, l=3 it represents the f-subshell.
• For example, the atomic number of Sodium is 11 and its electron configuration is $1{\mathrm{s}}^{2}2{\mathrm{s}}^{2}2{\mathrm{p}}^{6}3{\mathrm{s}}^1$

Electronic configuration of Tin:-

• Atomic number of Tin is 50, that is Tin has a total of 50 electrons.
• Since 1s orbital can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, so first 2 electrons will fill the 1s orbital, and the next 2 electrons will fill the 2s orbital.
• The next six electrons of Tin will go in the 2p orbital, as the p orbital can hold up to six electrons.
• The 2p orbital will be completely filled with six electrons and after that, the next two electrons will move up to fill the 3s orbital.
• Similarly in the same fashion, the next 6 electrons will fill up the 3p orbital.
• The next 2 electrons will be placed in the 4s orbital.
• The next 6 electrons fill the 4p orbitals and the next 10 electrons fill the 4d orbital, as the d-orbital can accommodate up to 10 electrons.
• The next 2 electrons are filled in the 5s orbital and lastly, the remaining 2 electrons are filled in the 5p orbital.
• Therefore, the electronic configuration of Tin is$1{\mathrm{s}}^{2}2{\mathrm{s}}^{2}2{\mathrm{p}}^{6}3{\mathrm{s}}^{2}3{\mathrm{p}}^{6}3{\mathrm{d}}^{10}4{\mathrm{s}}^{2}4{\mathrm{p}}^{6}4{\mathrm{d}}^{10}5{\mathrm{s}}^{2}5{\mathrm{p}}^2$.
• This configuration can also be written as$\left[\mathrm{Kr}\right]4{\mathrm{d}}^{10}5{\mathrm{s}}^{2}5{\mathrm{p}}^2$, where Kr represents the electron configuration of Krypton.

Therefore, the electronic configuration of Tin is$1{\mathrm{s}}^{2}2{\mathrm{s}}^{2}2{\mathrm{p}}^{6}3{\mathrm{s}}^{2}3{\mathrm{p}}^{6}3{\mathrm{d}}^{10}4{\mathrm{s}}^{2}4{\mathrm{p}}^{6}4{\mathrm{d}}^{10}5{\mathrm{s}}^{2}5{\mathrm{p}}^2$, or $\left[\mathrm{Kr}\right]4{\mathrm{d}}^{10}5{\mathrm{s}}^{2}5{\mathrm{p}}^2$.