key term - Hund’s rule

Definition

Hund's rule states that every orbital in a subshell is singly occupied with one electron before any one orbital is doubly occupied, and all electrons in singly occupied orbitals have the same spin. This principle minimizes electron-electron repulsions and stabilizes the atom.

Related terms

Electron configuration:

The distribution of electrons of an atom or molecule in atomic or molecular orbitals.

Pauli Exclusion Principle:

A principle stating that no two electrons can have identical quantum mechanical states, characterized by the same set of quantum numbers within an atom.

Atomic orbital: A mathematical function that describes the wave-like behavior of either one electron or a pair of electrons in an atom