Erbium Electron Configuration
Erbium (Er) · 68 electrons · Lanthanide
1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 5s2 5p6 4f12 6s2
Noble gas notation: [Xe] 4f12 6s2
Orbital diagram
↑↓
1s↑↓
2s↑↓↑↓↑↓
2p↑↓
3s↑↓↑↓↑↓
3p↑↓↑↓↑↓↑↓↑↓
3d↑↓
4s↑↓↑↓↑↓
4p↑↓↑↓↑↓↑↓↑↓
4d↑↓↑↓↑↓↑↓↑↓↑↑
4f↑↓
5s↑↓↑↓↑↓
5p↑↓
6s- Valence electrons
- 2
- Unpaired electrons
- 2
- Block
- f-block
- Magnetism (atom)
- paramagnetic
Electrons per shell
| K (n = 1) | 2 |
|---|---|
| L (n = 2) | 8 |
| M (n = 3) | 18 |
| N (n = 4) | 30 |
| O (n = 5) | 8 |
| P (n = 6) | 2 |
Erbium ion configurations
| Ion | Electrons | Configuration |
|---|---|---|
| Er3+ | 65 | [Xe] 4f12 |
How to write it
Place 68 electrons into subshells in the Aufbau order (1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p, 7s, 5f, 6d, 7p), filling s with 2, p with 6, d with 10 and f with 14. Erbium sits in period 6, in the f-block, so its last electron enters a f subshell. Replacing the inner electrons with the previous noble gas gives the shorthand [Xe] 4f12 6s2.
Try erbium and its ions in the calculator, or see the full erbium data sheet.
Erbium electron configuration FAQ
What is the electron configuration of erbium?
1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁶ 4f¹² 6s². Shorthand (noble gas) notation: [Xe] 4f¹² 6s².
What is the noble gas configuration of erbium?
[Xe] 4f¹² 6s². The bracket stands for the Xe core electrons.
How many valence electrons does erbium have?
2 (2 in the outer s subshell).
How many unpaired electrons does erbium have?
2 in the ground state, following Hund’s rule. An atom with unpaired electrons is paramagnetic.
What is the electron configuration of Er3+?
[Xe] 4f¹² (65 electrons).