Step-by-Step Electron Filling For the 11 electrons of a neutral sodium atom, the filling process occurs as follows: the first two electrons enter the 1s orbital, the next two fill the 2s orbital, and the subsequent six occupy the 2p orbitals. The Notation and Orbital Diagram The standard notation for the ground state electron configuration of sodium is written as 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s¹.
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This principle dictates that electrons occupy the lowest energy orbitals available before filling higher energy levels. This specific arrangement dictates the element's position on the periodic table and underpins its highly reactive nature, driving its tendency to form ionic bonds.
The period number indicates the highest energy level occupied by electrons, which in this case is the third shell (n=3). This placement solidifies sodium's identity as an s-block element, as its differentiating electron enters an s orbital.
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Periodic Table Position and Trends Looking at the periodic table, sodium is located in Group 1 (the alkali metals) and Period 3. The group number directly correlates with the number of valence electrons, which is always one for this family of elements.
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Looking at Ground state electron configuration of sodium from another angle can help expand the discussion and give readers a second clear paragraph under the same section.
More perspective on Ground state electron configuration of sodium can make the topic easier to follow by connecting earlier points with a few simple takeaways.
