Electronic Configuration
Which of the following electronic configurations violates Hund's rule of maximum multiplicity?
Select the correct option:
Solution
1s² 2s² 2p₂ˣ 2p₁ʸ 2p⁰ᶻ
Hund's rule states that electrons occupy degenerate orbitals singly with parallel spins before pairing begins. For a 2p³ configuration, the correct filling is 2p₁ˣ 2p₁ʸ 2p₁ᶻ (one electron in each p orbital). The configuration 2p₂ˣ 2p₁ʸ 2p⁰ᶻ shows electron pairing in 2pₓ while 2pᶻ remains empty, which directly violates Hund's rule. The other options either correctly follow Hund's rule or represent configurations with fewer than three 2p electrons where pairing may be necessary.
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About This Question
- Subject
- chemistry
- Chapter
- atomic structure
- Topic
- electronic configuration
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Year
- 2025
Solution
Correct Answer:
1s² 2s² 2p₂ˣ 2p₁ʸ 2p⁰ᶻ
Hund's rule states that electrons occupy degenerate orbitals singly with parallel spins before pairing begins. For a 2p³ configuration, the correct filling is 2p₁ˣ 2p₁ʸ 2p₁ᶻ (one electron in each p orbital). The configuration 2p₂ˣ 2p₁ʸ 2p⁰ᶻ shows electron pairing in 2pₓ while 2pᶻ remains empty, which directly violates Hund's rule. The other options either correctly follow Hund's rule or represent configurations with fewer than three 2p electrons where pairing may be necessary.
This medium difficulty chemistry question is from the chapter atomic structure, covering the topic of electronic configuration. It appeared in the 2025 exam.
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