Astatine Electron Configuration:Read This First!

The electron configuration of an atom gives information about the electronic structure of the atom. Let us discuss different facts about Astatine electron configuration.

Astatine electron configuration is [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p5. The total number of electrons in the element astatine is 85. The shell structure is 2,8,18,32,18,7, and the symbol is “At”. The position where the Astatine in the periodic table is 17th group 6th period and P block element.

In this article, we will discuss some rules obeyed for the arrangement of electrons in the atomic orbitals and orbital diagrams, configuration notation and ground state and excited state electron configurations.

How to write astatine electron configuration

The electronic configuration of astatine is [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p5 number of electrons in orbitals is the same as the atomic number. The electronic configuration of an element is arranged according to 3 laws and is listed below,

  • The Aufbau principle says that the lowest energy orbit will first complete filling and then gradually continue to complete filling of higher energy orbitals.
  • Orbital energy will be calculated by principal quantum number ‘n’ and azimuthal quantum number ‘l’. The energy of the 3d orbit is higher than that of 4s so the electrons can fill the 4s orbit filled first.
  • Pauli – exclusion principle says that electrons in an atom cannot have the same values of four quantum numbers of two electrons. Electrons have opposite spin.
  • Hund’s rule says that the three degenerative P orbital can accommodate one electron of parallel spin, and then they accommodate one electron of opposite spin.

Astatine electron configuration diagram

Astatine electron configuration is [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p5 where the distribution of electrons as follows

  • Electrons distributed in orbit in pairs were spinning in the opposite direction.
  • S subshell, only one orbital can have a maximum of 2 electrons
  • P subshell 2nd higher level 3 orbital can have a maximum of 6 electrons
  • D subshell 3rd higher level 5 orbital can have a maximum of 10 electrons
  • F subshell 4th higher level 7 orbital can have a maximum of 14 electrons

which is represented below, where

mnemonicAstatine
Astatine electron configuration diagram

Astatine electron configuration notation

Astatine electron configuration notation is [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p5

Astatine unabbreviated electron configuration

Astatine unabbreviated electron configuration   1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p5     

Ground state astatine electron configuration

The ground state At electron configuration [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p5

Excited state of astatine electron configuration

Excited state astatine electron configuration is [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s1 6p6.

Ground state astatine orbital diagram

The ground state At electron configuration is [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s1 6p6. The orbital diagram is drawn below, representing the electrons filled in the orbitals listed below.

  •  Astatine has 85 electrons filled in the manner of an electronic shell in the lowest energy level. S orbit contains 2 electrons with opposite spin.
  • Next higher energy level P orbit contains 6 electrons with opposite spin
  • Next higher energy level d orbit contains 10 electrons with opposite spin
  • And most higher energy level f orbit contains 14 electrons with opposite spin
  • In the case of astatine 6p orbit having 5 electrons and one is singly occupied

which is represented below where,

Astatine orbital diagram em
Ground state Astatine orbital diagram

Conclusion

Astatine is one of the rarest naturally occupying elements in the earth’s crust. Group 17 element in the periodic table and radioactive chemical element At is the heaviest in the halogen group. The isotopes of astatine elements are short-lived, and the most stable isotope is astatine – 210.

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