Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
The ground-state electron configuration is the arrangement of electrons in an atom's orbitals when it is at its lowest energy level. It determines the chemical properties and reactivity of the element.
A region around an atom's nucleus that can hold up to two electrons, with each having opposite spins.
Valence electrons: Electrons in the outermost shell of an atom, which are crucial for determining how atoms interact and bond with each other.
Electron configuration notation: A shorthand description of the number of electrons in each orbital, using numbers and letters to represent energy levels and sublevels