Aufbau principle
Definition
The Aufbau principle is a guideline used in organic chemistry to determine the electron configuration of an atom, molecule, or ion. It states that electrons occupy the lowest energy orbitals first before filling higher energy levels.
Analogy
Think of filling a hotel from the bottom floor up. Just as guests would fill up the lower floors’ rooms because they're easier to access before moving to higher floors, electrons fill lower energy levels before moving on to higher ones.
Related terms
Electron Configuration: The arrangement of electrons in an atom's or molecule’s orbitals.
Orbital: A region around an atom's nucleus that can hold up to two electrons, with opposite spins.
Pauli Exclusion Principle: A principle stating that no two electrons in an atom can have identical quantum numbers, ensuring each electron has a unique state
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