Lead(Pb) electron configuration and orbital diagram

Lead is the 82nd element in the periodic table and its symbol is ‘Pb’. Lead is a classified post-transition metal element. The total number of electrons in lead is eighty-two. These electrons are arranged according to specific rules of different orbits. The arrangement of electrons in different orbits and orbitals of an atom in a certain order is called electron configuration. The electron configuration of a lead(Pb) atom 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. The electron configuration and orbital diagram of lead is the main topic in this article. Hopefully, after reading this article you will know in detail about this.

Table of Contents

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.

Lead atom electron configuration — Lead(Pb) electron configuration (Bohr model)

For example,

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

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 levels are subdivided into sub-energy levels. These sub-energy levels are called orbital. The sub energy levels are expressed by ‘l’. The value of ‘l’ is from 0 to (n – 1). The sub-energy levels are known as s, p, d, f. Determining the value of ‘l’ for different energy levels is-

If n = 1,
(n – 1) = (1–1) = 0
Therefore, the orbital number of ‘l’ is 1; And the orbital is 1s.
If n = 2,
(n – 1) = (2–1) = 1.
Therefore, the orbital number of ‘l’ is 2; And the orbital is 2s, 2p.
If n = 3,
(n – 1) = (3–1) = 2.
Therefore, the orbital number of ‘l’ is 3; And the orbital is 3s, 3p, 3d.
If n = 4,
(n – 1) = (4–1) = 3
Therefore, the orbital number of ‘l’ is 4; And the orbital is 4s, 4p, 4d, 4f.
If n = 5,
(n – 1) = (n – 5) = 4.

Therefore, l = 0,1,2,3,4. The number of orbitals will be 5 but 4s, 4p, 4d, 4f in these four orbitals it is possible to arrange the electrons of all the elements of the periodic table. The electron holding capacity of these orbitals is s = 2, p = 6, d = 10 and f = 14. The German physicist Aufbau first proposed the idea of electron configuration through sub-orbits.

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. These orbitals are named s, p, d, f. The Aufbau electron configuration method is 1s 2s 2p 3s 3p 4s 3d 4p 5s 4d 5p 6s 4f 5d 6p 7s 5f 6d.

Electron configuration via Aufbau principal

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(Pb) electron configuration will be 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p².

How to write the orbital diagram for lead?

To create an orbital diagram of an atom, you first need to know Hund’s principle and Pauli’s exclusion principle. Hund’s principle is that electrons in different orbitals with the same energy would be positioned in such a way that they could be in the unpaired state of maximum number and the spin of the unpaired electrons will be one-way.

And Pauli’s exclusion principle is that the value of four quantum numbers of two electrons in an atom cannot be the same. To write the orbital diagram of lead(Pb), you have to do the electron configuration of lead. Which has been discussed in detail above. 1s is the closest and lowest energy orbital to the nucleus. Therefore, the electron will first enter the 1s orbital.

According to Hund’s principle, the first electron will enter in the clockwise direction and the next electron will enter the 1s orbital in the anti-clockwise direction. The 1s orbital is now filled with two electrons. Then next two electrons will enter the 2s orbital just like the 1s orbital. The next three electrons will enter the 2p orbital in the clockwise direction and the next three electrons will enter the 2p orbital in the anti-clockwise direction.

Then next two electrons will enter the 3s orbital just like the 1s orbital and the next six electrons will enter the 3p orbital just like the 2p orbital. The 3p orbital is now full. So, the next two electrons will enter the 4s orbital just like the 1s orbital. Then next five electrons will enter the 3d orbital in the clockwise direction and the next five electrons will enter the 3d orbital in the anti-clockwise direction.

The 3d orbital is now full. So, the next six electrons will enter the 4p orbital just like the 2p orbital. Then next two electrons will enter the 5s orbital just like the 1s orbital and the next ten electrons will enter the 4d orbital just like the 3d orbital. The 4d orbital is now full of electrons.

Then next eight electrons will enter the 5p and 6s orbital just like the 2p and 1s orbital. The 6s orbital is now full of electrons. So, the next seven electrons will enter the 4f orbital in the clockwise direction and the remaining seven electrons will enter the 4f orbital in the anti-clockwise direction.

The 4f orbital is now full. So, the next ten electrons will enter the 5d orbital just like the 3d orbital and the next two electrons will enter the 6p orbital in the clockwise direction. This is clearly shown in the figure of the orbital diagram of lead.

Lead excited state electron configuration

Atoms can jump from one orbital to another orbital in the excited state. This is called quantum jump. The ground state electron configuration of lead is s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p². In the tin ground-state electron configuration, two electrons of the 6p orbital are located in the 6p_x and 6p_y sub-orbitals.

The p-orbital has three sub-orbitals. The sub-orbitals are p_x, p_y, and p_z. Each sub-orbital can have a maximum of two electrons. Then the correct electron configuration of lead(Pb) in the ground state will be s² 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 sub-orbital. Therefore, the electron configuration of lead(Pb*) in excited state will be s² 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 s² 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 s² 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.

FAQ

What is the symbol for lead?
Ans: The symbol for lead is ‘Pb’.

How many electrons does lead have?
Ans: 82 electrons.

How do you write the electron configuration for lead?
Ans: Thallium electron configuration is 1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 4f¹⁴ 5s² 5p⁶ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p².