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 Globe with Meridians

Chapter 3 - Classification Of Matter

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Atom Symbol

Chapter 1 - Models Of The Particulate Nature Of Matter

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Chapter 2 - Models Of Bonding & Structure

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Fire

Chapter 4 - What Drives Chemical Reactions?

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Rocket

Chapter 5 - How Much, How Fast & How Far?

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Test Tube

Chapter 6 - What Are The Mechanisms Of Chemical Change?

Hey there future Chemist! 🧪💡 Let&#39;s dive into the fascinating world of transition elements and their electron configurations. Trust me, by the end of these notes, you&#39;ll be deducing electron configurations like a pro! 🚀

<ul>
	<li>These elements are super cool because, like chameleons, they can show variable oxidation states! 🦎</li>
	<li>If you know where they hang out on the periodic table, you can find out their electron configuration. 📋✏️</li>
</ul>

<ul>
	<li>Step 1: Start with the nearest noble gas before the element. For Iron, it&#39;s the mighty argon: [Ar].</li>
	<li>Step 2: Spot the valence sublevels. As iron is in the 4th period, its valence sublevels are:
	<ul>
		<li>4s (lower energy) 🌞</li>
		<li>3d (higher energy) 🌚</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
	<li>Step 3: Count the valence electrons using the group number. Iron is the 8th member of its group.
	<ul>
		<li>2 electrons choose the 4s as their home 🏠</li>
		<li>The other 6? They chill in the 3d sublevel 🎉</li>
	</ul>
	</li>
</ul>

🔥 Fun Fact: Energy levels can be a bit counterintuitive in transition elements. Even though 4 comes before 3, 3d has higher energy than 4s!

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So, what&rsquo;s the electron configuration of iron? Condensed Version: [Ar]4s2 3d6. Full Version: 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d6. Ta-da! 🎩🐰

You thought it was all smooth sailing, huh? 😜 Chromium and Copper are the rebels of the transition elements!

<ul>
	<li>Chromium (Cr): Instead of following the &#39;usual&#39; pattern, one of its 4s electrons hops over to the 3d sublevel. So its configuration becomes [Ar]4s1 3d5.</li>
	<li>Copper (Cu): Copper does the same! It promotes an electron from 4s to 3d. Its configuration? [Ar]4s1 3d10.</li>
</ul>

Why do they do this? 🤔 Both Cr and Cu aim for a stable half-filled (for Cr) or fully-filled (for Cu) d-sublevel. It&#39;s like trying to balance a seesaw in the playground; sometimes you need to shift a little! ⚖️

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Real-World Example: Think of electrons like guests at a party. Some rooms (energy levels) are more popular than others. The 4s room fills up first because it&#39;s right by the entrance (lower energy). But, if the 3d room (higher energy) offers better music and snacks (stability), a guest (electron) might hop over! 🎶🍕

Unlocking Electron Configurations of Transition Elements

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Standard Level

Chemistry SL

Chapter 3 - Classification Of Matter

Unlocking Electron Configurations of Transition Elements

Table of content

Transition elements basics

Unlock the Full Content!

Chapter 3 - Classification Of Matter

Unlocking Electron Configurations of Transition Elements

Table of content

Transition elements basics

Unlock the Full Content!