Question

Were it to follow the slandard pattem, what would be the electromic contiguration of element $119?$

Short answer

The electronic configuration of element 119 is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s2 4f14 5d10 6p6 7s2 5f14 6d10 7p1.

Step-by-step solution

Understand the atomic number

Atomic number 119 means there are 119 electrons in an atom of this element in its neutral state. Our task is to distribute these electrons into energy levels following the Baker's dozen rule.

Fill up the energy levels

Start filling up the energy levels with the appropriate number of electrons: 's' can hold 2 electrons, 'p' can hold 6, 'd' can hold 10, and 'f' can hold 14. Follow the Baker's dozen rule order: 1s2, 2s2, 2p6, 3s2, 3p6, 4s2, 3d10, 4p6, 5s2, 4d10, 5p6, 6s2, 4f14, 5d10, 6p6, 7s2, 5f14, 6d10.

Fill up the remaining levels

After 6d10, the next level to fill would be 7p. Since 118 electrons have been placed, only 1 electron remains. The level should be named 7p1. The electron configuration for element 119 is therefore 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s2 4f14 5d10 6p6 7s2 5f14 6d10 7p1.

Key concepts

Understanding Atomic Number

The atomic number defines the unique identity of an element within the periodic table. Simply put, it refers to the number of protons found in the nucleus of an atom. In our specific exercise, the atomic number is 119. This atomic number also indicates the number of electrons an element possesses in its neutral state..

As an essential cornerstone to comprehending electron configurations, the atomic number allows us to map out how electrons are structured. Each element has a distinctive electron configuration that results from the distribution of electrons across various energy levels, following established rules and patterns to achieve a state of minimal energy.

Grasping Energy Levels

Energy levels, also known as electron shells, define the positions that electrons occupy around the nucleus of an atom. These levels are often labeled with principal quantum numbers $n$ starting from the innermost level: $n=1$, $n=2$, and so forth. Furthermore, each energy level consists of sublevels categorized as 's', 'p', 'd', and 'f'.

An 's' sublevel can accommodate 2 electrons, 'p' can hold up to 6, 'd' can have 10, and 'f' can store a maximum of 14 electrons. This structured filling is guided by the quantum mechanics principles, the Pauli exclusion principle, and the Aufbau principle, which are fundamental to determine the electron configuration for an element based on its atomic number.

Filling Order Summary

• 1s: up to 2 electrons
• 2s: up to 2 electrons
• 2p: up to 6 electrons
• 3s: up to 2 electrons
• Followed by 3p, 4s, and so on, in increasing order of atomic orbitals

Applying the Baker's Dozen Rule

The 'Baker's dozen rule' is an informal rule often used to help students remember the order in which to fill the electron sublevels in a straightforward, more intuitive sequence. Like a baker's dozen which is composed of 13 units for the price of 12, this mnemonic aids in recalling the standard order of sublevels when configuring electrons.

In practice, the electron filling order starts at the 1s sublevel and proceeds to higher sublevels like 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, until all electrons are accounted for, each time filling orbitals starting from the lowest available energy. However, the Baker's dozen rule is not an established scientific principle, and students should understand that in reality, electrons fill according to increasing energy based on the Madelung rule or n + l rule which covers exceptions that the Baker's dozen rule does not.