NEED HELP! people who know chemistry

[HolyPhoenix]

I am doing this project for school right now and am not super sure about it. I am puting circles and ovals to make iron thing. From what I think it needs 7 oval circles (electron path thing) to go around the neucleus right. I think you get that from the Electron Configuration. Irons Electron Configuration is: 1s^2 2s^2 2p^6 3s^2 3p^6 3d^6 4s^2

Am I correct by this thinking or am I way off. Please someone help me. (as you can tell I am not compared to anyone who knows chemistry in how smart we are. I don't even know what some of the words are notice: [thing])

[Smurf Taco]

Re: NEED HELP! people who know chemistry

Crap I don't know if you worded it weird or I'm just screwed (I'm taking the Chemistry SAT IIs). As far as I remeber from electron configurations and stuff though, it went something like 2,2,8,8 and so on, but I do vaguely remember the terminaology you're using... I just need a refresher I guess?

[HolyPhoenix]

Re: NEED HELP! people who know chemistry

Yeah I think it was my wording.

I do know what you are talking about though. The s has 2 electrons the p has 6 and the d has 8. I know that I am correct on that because I have a periodic table in front of me.

The main thing I want to know is if the electron configuration is the amount of electron paths or if it has nothing to do with it. That is what I was thinking but I am not sure I am correct about that or not.

[Rodak]

Re: NEED HELP! people who know chemistry

The main thing I want to know is if the electron configuration is the amount of electron paths or if it has nothing to do with it. That is what I was thinking but I am not sure I am correct about that or not.

OK, you have found a professional Chemist!

Electron configuration is just as you say, the s, p, d, f, and other "Orbitals" are areas of probability where the electron is most likely to be found.

While configuration includes the amount of paths it is more the arrangement of electrons on those paths (all atoms have those paths, the question centers around whether they are used).

The ovals you mention are not really anything technical (unless there is a new way of using them to teach of which I am unaware) (I'm old).

If I missed something in your question (I am not certain what, exactly, your question is) please rephrase it and I will gladly do my best to help.

I do keep weird hours and if I am busy at work I may not be able to post again until tonight.

I hope that helped.

Good Luck with it.

Peace.

[RPGD]

Re: NEED HELP! people who know chemistry

There's a slight error in that electronic configuration. Swap the places of 4S^2 and 3d^6. Now try drawing it.

[Rodak]

Re: NEED HELP! people who know chemistry

GOOD GOD!

I wasn't even checking for accuracy, I was trying to figure out what the question was!

That's what I get for scanning past the part I thought he said he copied off a periodic table!!

Good catch.

Peace.

[RPGD]

Re: NEED HELP! people who know chemistry

[HolyPhoenix]

Re: NEED HELP! people who know chemistry

Yeah that shows how good I am at chemistry. Can't even look at the periodic table to find it out.

Ok I think that what you said kinda answered my question.

Pretty much I want to figure out how you know how many electron paths there are.

[Big Rick Cook]

Re: NEED HELP! people who know chemistry

I took Chemistry, and I don't remember a single thing about 'electron paths.'

[HolyPhoenix]

Re: NEED HELP! people who know chemistry

I probably won't. I am really bad at anything to do with science stuff.

[Rodak]

Re: NEED HELP! people who know chemistry

Pretty much I want to figure out how you know how many electron paths there are.

Remember that Electrons are Homophobes: They won't pair off (in an orbital) unless they have to, and even then only with an electron of opposite spin (That's the Pauli Exclusion Principle put in easier terms).

They are also very lazy and fill the lowest energy orbitals (your "paths") first. It takes more energy to fill the higher orbitals (bigger "paths") and they will only go there if "excited".

You know how many orbital "paths" exist by the number of electrons (Atomic Number... the same as the number of Protons) and the capacity of each "path" to hold them. They fill up the orbitals in order and the Homophobic Electrons avoid each other as much as possible.

The reason the s orbital of the next "shell" fills before the d orbital of the current one has to do with their lazyness. s orbitals are spherical and provide the easiest territory to roam. p orbitals are hourglass shaped and require more energy to stay on course. d orbitals are complex clover leaf type things and vary in weirdness as the atoms get bigger. We all know weird things take more energy. Anyway, the s orbital above it is easier to occupy than the d of the current shell, and fills first.

I'm rambling because I'm on lunch (and running late).

Try this for a more organized explanation:

http://216.109.125.130/search/cache?...icp=1&.intl=us

And Mr. Cook: "Electron Paths" do not exist.

I called them regions of probability for a reason. We do not know their paths, nor would they keep to them if we did. But that is for Quantum Theory, Spectroscopy, and other stuff based on statistics.

If you need more help, feel free to ask.

Good luck with it.

Peace.

[Big Rick Cook]

Re: NEED HELP! people who know chemistry

Then that might explain why I don't remember them.

[HolyPhoenix]

Re: NEED HELP! people who know chemistry

Thankyou Rodak. That was exactly what I wanted to hear. That was a great help. And you also made my test that I will have sometime soon easier. I think I have to know something about the Pauli Exclusion Principle. People who are good with science must havea really big brain.

Sorry Big Rick Cook. I don't know the terms very well so I use different words. I think that the paths are the orbitals.

[Big Rick Cook]

Re: NEED HELP! people who know chemistry

I wouldn't worry about it. A technicality exists where I failed Chemistry, but my teacher passed me with a D, and someone slipped my transcript a mickey, and my overall grade for Chemistry got upped to a B.

[HolyPhoenix]

Re: NEED HELP! people who know chemistry

Sweet! That is pretty cool about your grade.

My grade is somehow still a B-. I think it is because somehow I guess on my tests and I get it right.