Electron Configuration

Electron configuration refers to how electrons are distributed in an atom's energy levels, sublevels, and orbitals. Think of it like sorting an atom’s building blocks into specific rooms (orbitals) in a building (energy levels). The 'rules' electron configuration follows determine how these "rooms" are filled. This organization impacts an atom's properties, including its 'reactivity', like how it interacts or bonds with other atoms. Elements share similarities if the 'layout' of their "rooms" are alike, like having the same number of electrons in their outermost "room," meaning they are family in the Periodic Table.