Complete Electron Configuration for Lead (Pb, Pb2+, Pb4+)

Lead is the 82nd element in the periodic table and its symbol is ‘Pb’. Lead is a classified post-transition metal element. In this article, I have discussed in detail how to easily write the complete electron configuration of lead.

What is the electron configuration of lead?

The total number of electrons in lead is eighty-two. These electrons are arranged according to specific rules in different orbitals.

The arrangement of electrons in lead in specific rules in different orbits and orbitals is called the electron configuration of lead.

The electron configuration of lead is [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p², if the electron arrangement is through orbitals. Electron configuration can be done in two ways.

• Electron configuration through orbit (Bohr principle)
• Electron configuration through orbital (Aufbau principle)

Electron configuration through orbitals follows different principles. For example Aufbau principle, Hund’s principle, and Pauli’s exclusion principle.

Lead atom electron configuration through orbit

Scientist Niels Bohr was the first to give an idea of the atom’s orbit. He provided a model of the atom in 1913. The complete idea of the orbit is given there.

The electrons of the atom revolve around the nucleus in a certain circular path. These circular paths are called orbit(shell). These orbits are expressed by n. [n = 1,2,3,4 . . . The serial number of the orbit]

K is the name of the first orbit, L is the second, M is the third, and N is the name of the fourth orbit. The electron holding capacity of each orbit is 2n².

For example,

1. n = 1 for K orbit.
   The maximum electron holding capacity in K orbit is 2n² = 2 × 1² = 2.
2. For L orbit, n = 2.
   The maximum electron holding capacity in L orbit is 2n² = 2 × 2² = 8.
3. n=3 for M orbit.
   The maximum electron holding capacity in M orbit is 2n² = 2 × 3² = 18.
4. n=4 for N orbit.
   The maximum electron holding capacity in N orbit is 2n² = 2 × 4² = 32.

Therefore, the maximum electron holding capacity in the first shell is two, the second shell is eight and the 3rd shell can have a maximum of eighteen electrons.

The atomic number is the number of electrons in that element. The atomic number of lead is 82. That is, the number of electrons in lead is eighty-two.

Therefore, a lead atom will have two electrons in the first shell, eight in the 2nd orbit, eighteen electrons in the 3rd shell, and thirty-two in the 4th shell.

According to Bohr’s formula, the fifth shell will have twenty-two electrons but the fifth shell of lead will have eighteen electrons and the remaining four electrons will be in the sixth shell.

Therefore, the order of the number of electrons in each shell of the lead(Pb) atom is 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 4. Electrons can be arranged correctly through orbits from elements 1 to 18.

The electron configuration of an element with an atomic number greater than 18 cannot be properly determined according to the Bohr atomic model. The electron configuration of all the elements can be done through the orbital diagram.

Electron configuration of lead through orbital

Atomic energy shells are subdivided into sub-energy levels. These sub-energy levels are also called orbital. The most probable region of electron rotation around the nucleus is called the orbital.

The sub-energy levels depend on the azimuthal quantum number. It is expressed by ‘l’. The value of ‘l’ is from 0 to (n – 1). The sub-energy levels are known as s, p, d, and f.

For example,

• If n = 1,
  (n – 1) = (1–1) = 0
  Therefore, the value of ‘l’ is 0. So, the sub-energy level is 1s.
• If n = 2,
  (n – 1) = (2–1) = 1.
  Therefore, the value of ‘l’ is 0, 1. So, the sub-energy levels are 2s, and 2p.
• If n = 3,
  (n – 1) = (3–1) = 2.
  Therefore, the value of ‘l’ is 0, 1, 2. So, the sub-energy levels are 3s, 3p, and 3d.
• If n = 4,
  (n – 1) = (4–1) = 3
  Therefore, the value of ‘l’ is 0, 1, 2, 3. So, the sub-energy levels are 4s, 4p, 4d, and 4f.
• If n = 5,
  (n – 1) = (n – 5) = 4.

Therefore, l = 0,1,2,3,4. The number of sub-shells will be 5 but 4s, 4p, 4d, and 4f in these four subshells it is possible to arrange the electrons of all the elements of the periodic table.

The orbital number of the s-subshell is one, three in the p-subshell, five in the d-subshell and seven in the f-subshell. Each orbital can have a maximum of two electrons.

The sub-energy level ‘s’ can hold a maximum of two electrons, ‘p’ can hold a maximum of six electrons, ‘d’ can hold a maximum of ten electrons, and ‘f’ can hold a maximum of fourteen electrons.

Aufbau is a German word, which means building up. The main proponents of this principle are scientists Niels Bohr and Pauli. The Aufbau method is to do electron configuration through the sub-energy level.

The Aufbau principle is that the electrons present in the atom will first complete the lowest energy orbital and then gradually continue to complete the higher energy orbital.

The energy of an orbital is calculated from the value of the principal quantum number ‘n’ and the azimuthal quantum number ‘l’. The orbital for which the value of (n + l) is lower is the low energy orbital and the electron will enter that orbital first.

Here, the energy of 4s orbital is less than that of 3d. So, the electron will enter the 4s orbital first and enter the 3d orbital when the 4s orbital is full. The method of entering electrons into orbitals through the Aufbau principle is 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d 4p 5s 4d 5p 6s 4f 5d 6p 7s 5f 6d.

The first two electrons of lead enter the 1s orbital. The s-orbital can have a maximum of two electrons. Therefore, the next two electrons enter the 2s orbital.

The p-orbital can have a maximum of six electrons. So, the next six electrons enter the 2p orbital. The second orbit is now full. So, the remaining electrons will enter the third orbit.

Then two electrons will enter the 3s orbital and the next six electrons will be in the 3p orbital of the third orbit. The 3p orbital is now full. So, the next two electrons will enter the 4s orbital and ten electrons will enter the 3d orbital.

The 3d orbital is now full. So, the next six electrons enter the 4p orbital. Then next ten electrons will enter the 4d orbital. The 4d orbital is now full. So, the next eight electrons enter the 5p and 6s orbital and the next fourteen electrons will enter the 4f orbital.

The 4f orbital is now full of electrons. So, the next ten electrons will enter the 5d orbital and the remaining two electrons will enter the 6p orbital. Therefore, the lead full electron configuration will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p².

Note: The abbreviated electron configuration of lead is [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p². When writing an electron configuration, you have to write serially.

Try the Electron Configuration Calculator and get instant results for any element.

Lead excited state electron configuration

Atoms can jump from one orbital to another orbital in an excited state. This is called quantum jump.

The ground-state electron configuration of lead is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p². In the tin ground-state electron configuration, the last electrons of the 6p orbital are located in the 6p_x and 6p_y orbitals.

We already know that the p-subshell has three orbitals. The orbitals are p_x, p_y, and p_z and each orbital can have a maximum of two electrons.

Then the correct electron configuration of lead(Pb) in the ground state will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p_x¹ 6p_y¹. This electron configuration shows that the last shell of the lead atom has two unpaired electrons.

So in this case, the valency of lead is 2. When the tin atom is excited, then the lead atom absorbs energy. As a result, an electron in the 6s orbital jumps to the 6p_z orbital.

Therefore, the electron configuration of lead(Pb*) in an excited state will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 6s¹ 6p_x¹ 6p_y¹ 6p_z¹.

The valency of the element is determined by electron configuration in the excited state. Here, lead has four unpaired electrons. So, the valency of lead is 4.

Lead ion(Pb²⁺, Pb⁴⁺) electron configuration

The electron configuration shows that the last shell of lead has four electrons. Therefore, the valence electrons of lead are four.

There are two types of lead ion. The lead atom exhibits Pb²⁺ and Pb⁴⁺ ions. The elements that form bonds by donating electrons are called cation.

The lead atom donates two electrons in the 6p orbital to form a lead ion(Pb²⁺). That is, lead is a cation element.

Pb – 2e^– → Pb²⁺

Here, the electron configuration of lead ion(Pb²⁺) is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 6s².

On the other hand, the lead atom donates two electrons in the 6p orbital and two electrons in 6s orbital to convert lead ion(Pb⁴⁺).

Pb – 4e^– → Pb⁴⁺

The electron configuration of lead ion(Pb⁴⁺) is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰.

This electron configuration shows that the lead ion(Pb⁴⁺) has five shells and the last shell has eighteen electrons and it achieves a stable electron configuration.

Lead atom exhibit +2 and +4 oxidation states. The oxidation state of the element changes depending on the bond formation.

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