How are the electron arranged outside the nucleus?

Electrons are arranged outside the nucleus in energy levels or shells. These energy levels are designated by the letters K, L, M, N, and so on. Each energy level can hold a specific number of electrons, with the innermost shell (K) holding up to 2 electrons, the second shell (L) holding up to 8 electrons, and so on. Electrons fill the energy levels starting from the innermost shell and moving outward, following the Aufbau principle and the Pauli exclusion principle.

The electrons outside the nucleus are arranged in shells and subshells. The shells are labeled with the letters K, L, M, N, and so on, starting with the shell closest to the nucleus. The subshells are labeled with the letters s, p, d, f, and so on, starting with the subshell with the lowest energy.

Each shell can hold a certain number of electrons. The K shell can hold 2 electrons, the L shell can hold 8 electrons, the M shell can hold 18 electrons, and so on. Each subshell can hold a certain number of electrons as well. The s subshell can hold 2 electrons, the p subshell can hold 6 electrons, the d subshell can hold 10 electrons, and the f subshell can hold 14 electrons.

The electrons are arranged in the shells and subshells in such a way that the overall energy of the atom is minimized. The electrons in the lower shells and subshells have lower energies than the electrons in the higher shells and subshells.

Image of Electron Arrangement