Question

What is the ground-state electron configuration of tellurium (Te, atomic number 52 )?

Short answer

The ground-state electron configuration of tellurium (Te) is [TeX]1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6 5s^2 4d^10 5p^4[/TeX].

Step-by-step solution

Identify the position of tellurium in the periodic table

Tellurium is in Group 16 (also known as the chalcogens) and Period 5 of the periodic table. Remember that the atomic number (Z) of tellurium is 52, meaning that it has 52 electrons in its ground state.

Apply the Aufbau principle

According to the Aufbau principle, electrons fill atomic orbitals in the order of increasing energy. The order of filling is as follows: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p, 7s, 5f, 6d, 7p. Fill the electrons following this order until all 52 electrons are placed.

Fill in the electron configuration

Using the order established in Step 2, start filling the orbitals: 1s^2: 2 electrons (2 remaining) 2s^2: 2 electrons (4 remaining) 2p^6: 6 electrons (10 remaining) 3s^2: 2 electrons (12 remaining) 3p^6: 6 electrons (18 remaining) 4s^2: 2 electrons (20 remaining) 3d^10: 10 electrons (30 remaining) 4p^6: 6 electrons (36 remaining) 5s^2: 2 electrons (38 remaining) 4d^10: 10 electrons (48 remaining) 5p^4: 4 electrons (52 total, no more remaining)

Write the ground-state electron configuration for tellurium

Combine the filled orbitals found in Step 3 to write the electron configuration: [TeX]1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 4s^2 3d^10 4p^6 5s^2 4d^10 5p^4[/TeX]. This electron configuration represents the ground state of tellurium (Te) with an atomic number of 52.