General

Electron Distribution – Part 1

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Calculating the maximum number of electrons in a shell

The typical atom structure has a nucleus at the centre with protons and neutrons surrounded by electrons.

For example, the structure of an oxygen atom is shown below:

Oxygen atom

Oxygen atom

There are two electrons in the first shell and six in the second.

But electrons cannot be present randomly in any orbital. There is a formula to allot electrons to a particular shell. The formula for the maximum number of electrons in one shell is given by

𝟐𝒏𝟐,where ‘n’ is the shell number.

Electron shell configuration

Using the formula, let us calculate the number of electrons in each shell of an atom.

Shel l Shell number 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒖𝒍𝒂

− 𝟐𝒏𝟐

 Maximum number of electrons
K 1 2 × 12 2
L 2 2 × 22 8
M 3 2 × 32 18
N 4 2 × 42 32

Related Posts:

  1. what are nucleons?
  2. Atomic Number
  3. Electron Distribution – Part 2
  4. Concept of Valency – Introduction
  5. What is Electricity?
  6. Isotopes and Isobars